The Messenger
by Spark the Clairvoyant
Summary: One year after he returns home, Zidane leaves for Amestris again, hoping to save it with only the soul of Kuja to help him... perhaps. If only he could remember that he's not alone. FMA/FFIX/DFF crossover.
1. The Past Is Mercy

Hello all, welcome to my new story. It's a sequel to "The Red Crown Around Your Door."

This story is much darker than Red Crown, so if you want that happy fluffy ending, Zidane took the other choice, not this one. Well, okay, there is a fluffy happy ending here, but the characters work hard to get there.

Well, it takes a while for there to be the FMA elements. And save Truth-God-World-One-All-You showing up at the end of the first chapter, there aren't any FMA characters for the first two chapters. Currently, I have most of the scenes up to... oh... chapter 9 written. I have three or four of them half-way plotted, and after that... I have no idea, but I'm aiming for this story to be around 20 chapters. Even if not all of them will be this long.

Disclaimer: You think if I owned these fandoms I'd be writing fanfiction of them? Well, okay, actually, I totally would, considering my brain loves to make cracky stories involving my original characters as well. But if I had any ties to Squenix besides as a consumer of their goods dated up to 2008 this would have been made canon during the merger. Or at least an official Alternate Universe story for FMA. (Well, at the merger, I probably would have made Zidane Pride or (More likely) had him replace Ling as the new Greed but was it really that… Oh yeah, story!) Mel and Joey are characters I came up with myself, as well as the posthumous character Alex.

Ladies and Gentlemen of (And maybe LJ) for your teeth-gnashing and epileptic-tree planting, Spark the Clairvoyant (aka Petrelg) not-so-humbly presents to you, the second part she could write for her crazy Multiverse, "The Messenger." (Once again shamelessly stolen from the theme of the same name by Your Favorite Enemies.)

* * *

Zidane felt uncomfortable in the finery he was given by the servants of Alexandria Castle. Was there anything wrong with his normal wear when meeting with Garnet? She may have been queen, but she was also a close friend of his, and certainly she had the power to request him as-is.

He sat straight in a chair of the entryway, waiting for her to make her appearance. He half-expected her to show up dressed as a maid, before he reminded himself that he could see through her attempts at disguise in an instant.

"You're here," he heard her say. He looked up and noticed how her face lit up. "I'm so glad you accepted my invitation." Unfortunately, she was dressed in finery even beyond what he saw her wear at her coronation.

He laughed a bit nervously. "Why would I turn down an invitation to spend time with you, my beloved Dagger?"

She smiled at him. "It's been so long," she said. "I wasn't certain if you still loved or even remembered me."

"I would never forget you." He stood up and offered his hand for her. "How about a nice walk around the grounds before whatever you planned?"

She took his hand. "Of course, I was planning on doing something before the dinner we'll have together. It can wait a little while."

The two talked about little as he enjoyed the gardens surrounding Alexandria's Castle. He enjoyed simply having the company of the woman he loved the most. She seemed to think the same with him.

He felt guilty about his decision.

_You might be able to beg that thing to change your price_, he sensed.

He dismissed it. _I'm making what little time I have with my friends left the best it can be. I'm keeping my promises these days._

He'll miss her face so much, especially how it lit up when he spent time with her.

"Your dinner is ready," he heard Steiner say.

"Thank you," Garnet said.

Zidane grinned. "Yeah Rusty, thanks."

Steiner glared at him.

"I'm sorry, thank you, Bert."

Steiner took a deep breath. "I suppose that's as polite as you can get."

"Only to you, the General can get as much respect as she desires."

He heard Garnet laugh, trying to keep it the ladylike giggle that was expected of her, and failing in that attempt. "Maybe we should listen to him."

Zidane nodded. "Your wish is my command, milady." He gave a full bow, blessing his ears with her laugh again. He followed her through the halls to a small table away from the parts of the castle she granted the public to see.

"Surprised?" She asked.

He nodded again. "I was expecting something… larger, a great table."

She shook her head gently. "It is just us, so I desired something private."

Once again, he found the silence to be a blessing as the two ate. He tried to do so with a bit more class, as if to show the Captain just how _gentlemanly_ he could be.

_Even if you hope she can move on without you?_

_Yes. I'm like this so she would have wonderful memories of me, until she forgets._

_It would be easier if you were rude to them all, then they'd want to forget you_.

"I never knew this side of you," She said. "You practically dove into the food when Uncle gave you that feast."

"The one you poisoned with the sleeping herb I gave you?"

She laughed.

"You were never so good at deception, your Majesty."

"And I suppose you think yourself to be the master of it?" she asked. "You all took the parts with your names when you performed _I Want to Be Your Canary_ on my birthday last year."

He forced a smile. "It was a bad joke. 'Oh look guys, there are parts in this play with our names, let's play them. The Queen would never guess your name really is Zidane.' Marcus wanted to do that again, if I didn't insist on taking the role of Marcus this time. He has a thing for Ruby, you know."

Garnet laughed again. "Be my Marcus," she said. "Should I be Cornelia, I desire you to be Marcus."

"You want me to kill myself because I didn't get the message that your father trapped you?"

_You're missing the point, you idiot._

_I'm not missing it by accident, you know. I don't want to have to refuse her. Not so soon._

"Zidane, I don't need any rescuing anymore." She stood up and walked next to him. "I always wished that Marcus and Cornelia could have had a happily ever after, like in fairy tales. And as much as I feel Cornelia would have been content in a small house with Marcus…" She took his hands in hers. "I felt that Marcus was too noble to not become royalty. I feel the same for you."

He stood up, surprised that his eyes fell onto her forehead naturally, instead of meeting her own. "Dagger, this is so sweet of you." He looked away, knowing he'd agree if he saw her face at that moment. "But I can't. I – I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but I can't."

"Zidane."

He sighed. "I can't tell you… yet." He was so weak. "Give me some time. Things happened while I was gone."

When he looked back, she was upset.

"Garnet, I love you, I really do." As she opened her mouth, he added "and there's not someone else. While I was gone, whenever my thoughts were free, and they were free often, so don't try that excuse either, they would head to you, how much I missed you, your smile, your eyes, your… everything! Now I'm back with you…"

She nodded. "It's the reverse, you can't stop thinking of what happened when you were gone. You need time."

He kissed her. "Exactly. Thank you for understanding."

When he left, he knew she was crying. He ended up unable to tell her no, yet he knew she felt like he did. He wondered if any of Tantalus thought that he wasn't going to return that night. Idiots. Even if he had made his choice the other way, he'd return. Garnet was correct in her assessment. He was noble in spirit, now. If someone was asked about his behavior a year ago, the answer would have been the opposite.

His answer hurt him too.

* * *

Just as last year, Garnet had come to Lindblum to watch the Festival of the Hunt, telling her uncle about how Zidane had every intention of marrying her. He was a little upset by her assuming he was going to say yes, but he couldn't give her a "No" at the time, so he had no one to blame but himself. He wanted to take part again, just for the thrill, but since he was so close to Garnet, Hilda had carefully insisted that they didn't want to be accused of nepotism if he won. Zidane watched as Freya tried to see Cid, Hilda, and Eiko over something that was bothering her. He couldn't quite make it out. He jumped onto a strange half-shelf between the grand pillars of Lindblum Castle to hide. A strange blond man ran into her and said something which bothered her as she stormed towards him, away from the other man.

"I know how you feel," he said, surprising her. He elaborated when she looked at him. "They won't even let _me_ in to see Cid."

She laughed. "I didn't think your ego would inflate that much. Just because you got a knighthood from him for being a favored actor and you saved the world doesn't mean you're that important."

"I'm going to be Prince Consort of Alexandria," he said calmly. Two could play the game which Garnet was playing. "Which means we would be practically family." He laughed. "Imagine that, three of us who saved the world, family."

She gave a grin, a sight he had rarely seen since the disastrous date the two had when they met. "So you proposed?"

He shook his head with a smirk. "She did. Although, to be fair, I actually haven't agreed yet."

Freya paused briefly. He could tell she was thinking through something. "What?"

"The time I was gone… it was long, wasn't it?" He found his voice distant, as if trying to force the images of Amestris onto her, hoping that she would understand, even if no one else did.

She nodded. "I'd say it was around six months." He gave an innocent look, pointing at himself with one hand, a look that probably no longer worked now he was seventeen. She laughed again. "Don't act coy, I saw you begging the rest of Tantalus to put more effort into the play this time when I visited Lindblum two months ago."

"I thought so," he said solemnly. Again, he tried to send her his memories, feeling Kuja chuckle in his mind at the very idea of it. "_Things_ happened during it. I don't really feel like talking much about it, but those things… they haunt me."

She stepped forward, taking his hand in hers. "When you sleep?"

"During the day," he said truthfully. His dreams were his escape. His hopes for her understanding didn't seem likely, so he fell into a half-lie. "I don't want Dagger to take this fractured man I am now." Kuja laughed at that. "I want her to have the old me, the one she fell in love with."

He took his hand from hers and jumped down. He found her hands comforting him on his shoulders. "We all change, Zidane. Just look at me."

He faced her and gave a small smile. "Maybe not go completely back," he said. "But… I'm just so uncertain these days. I just want to be certain of something." That was true, despite his inability to say why just yet. He needed more time before he could tell them.

_Four months hasn't been enough?_

_Shut up._

She smiled back. She was one of his strongest friends these days. It seemed she found herself in the same position as him, only with one person instead of whole worlds. She loved Fratley though. He was once the world to her. There was no difference between the two.

"You love her," she said. "And she loves you. We all care about you. Do I need to remind you of how you have your friends?"

_You're not alone,_ Kuja added, before Zidane mentally shooed him away from the moment.

"Thanks Freya, you're always great help for me." He embraced her. "You're like… I dunno, a big sister or something."

She was hesitant at first, but then returned the embrace. "If that's what I am for you, then I guess it is fine."

His hug tightened, and he quietly whispered "I'll miss you." He would. The two stayed like that for a moment before he turned to leave.

"Oi, Zidane!" She called out to him before he turned the corner he intended to take.

He stopped and turned with a hint of a smile. "What is it?"

She grinned. "If I win, you give her an answer. Today."

He nodded. "Got it, Freya."

* * *

Freya had won the Festival, and was given her chance to speak with Cid, Hilda, and Eiko freely about whatever had bothered her. The strange man stood by the door, trying to listen in, to Zidane's amusement.

"Zidane," Garnet said, walking to him. "I've given you some time to think."

_I want more_.

_You'll always want more._

The man looked at the two.

He forced a smile. "Sure, but how about we head somewhere more private." He tickled her hand with his tail as he found himself walking to the lift.

"Where are you taking me?" She said, a smile lighting up her face.

"Our place," he said, hoping she knew where he spoke of. "It is still there, right?"

She nodded. "How sweet of you."

When they reached the small rooftop garden, he sighed. It was the moment of truth.

"You make it so hard for me," he said. "I can't marry you. I want to, but I can't."

Her eyes opened in shock. "What do you mean? Did you lie about having someone else?"

"No," he said reflexively. "The place I went. It's tied to here in a way that I can make Gaia better if I try to fix what's wrong there. I leave Gaia for good in eight months."

She held his hand. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I'm leaving, for the greater good. You'd have a much better life without me. Not just you, everyone here."

"Zidane!"

He looked at her. The original shock changed to depression. "No," he said. "I… I have to do this. It's a bargain. I can't stay here and know what I know."

"Fine," she said, holding back tears. "Just, try not to let there be anyone you love more than I."

He held her in his arms and kissed her deeply. "Don't worry Dagger. I don't think I could even if I tried."

_She's tamed you._

_Maybe, but I like that bit of taming. She was fair enough to let me go._

"I won't either, Zidane. No matter what you say."

* * *

He was in the lands near Cornelia. His dreams often were. He often ran through the forest with Bartz, one of the first of these dream people he met and knew to trust.

"Oi! Bartz," He shouted over his shoulder. "Hope you're not letting me win just cuz I'm engaged!" Even if he wasn't, it was worth saying it just to see Bartz's face. He was, after all, the second youngest of the champions.

Bartz stumbled, earning a chuckle from Zidane. Zidane jumped up to a tree branch, swung halfway, and ran back to his friend.

"What did you say?" Bartz said, almost yelling. "You're engaged? But you're… what? Sixteen?"

"I'm seventeen now, and even if I were, sixteen's old enough," Zidane said. "At least in many of the countries on the Mist Continent."

Bartz put an arm around Zidane, getting him in a headlock. "Awe, Zidane's all grown up and getting married. We've got to tell the rest of the guys. Especially Squall."

"Oi! Let go!" Zidane grabbed hold of Bartz's arms and tried to remove himself, but this time, Bartz seemed stronger. Not good. He was planning on just letting Bartz know he was joking. Don't let the others know.

"Not a chance, Zidane. C'mon." He dragged Zidane out of the forest. Tidus was trying to get Squall and Cloud to play a free-for-all round of Blitzball. Terra and the Kid were watching with amusement, their feet in the water, and shoes to one side of them. The Warrior and Cecil were in a friendly sparring match with Firion refereeing.

"Attention everyone!" Bartz said loudly trying to get the attention of the others. Zidane found a weak spot and slipped out of Bartz's headlock. Now he just had to sneak to the forest without him knowing. "I have great news."

Screw that idea, he was running. He could beat most of the others in speed at any time. Just a bit further and he could easily claim that he happened to wake up before…

"Zidane is getting married!"

That. He heard a splash. Tidus showed up in front of him. "You're younger than me."

"Different worlds, different rules," Squall said politely getting out of the water and throwing his coat back on. "He once told me that he beat a friend in a drinking contest and ended up drunk in public. I figure if he's allowed to drink, he can get married."

Zidane gave a smile, leaping over to Squall. "Thank you, Squall. I owe you one."

"You know, you've never told us about your sweetheart," Tidus said. "What's she like?"

"Tell me about Yuna, and I'll tell you about Garnet."

"Sure. Yuna's so amazing. She's light on her feet, her hair is a light brown that hits just below her chin…" Tidus rambled on finishing with saying "And she helped me defeat Sin once and for all."

"It'll be hard to prove I'm more in love with her. It all started when Cid got Tantalus a job to kidnap his niece, the Princess of Alexandria."

"You told us about that. It didn't go as planned."

Zidane nodded. "Her mother, then Queen Brahne recognized who played Princess Cornelia in the fourth and fifth acts of the play, causing that breakdown I had the second time we all showed up here."

"So, you found a cute maid?" Firion asked.

Zidane smiled. "I found the Princess. Now known as Queen Garnet til Alexandros XVI."

It earned a stare from many of the others. Perhaps not the best of ideas.

"Well, due to all sorts of crazy things, the ones I told you about, it took us a while to get to Lindblum, and then we somehow got wrapped up in preventing the end of the world, we had a lot of time to get to know each other. I made some great friends during the journey too, like Vivi, let his soul rest in peace, Amarant, who forgave me for being an idiot as a kid, and even some of those I found opposing me."

Tidus smirked. "I know what you mean. It's not just Yuna that I love. There's also Wakka, Lulu, Rikku, Kihmari, and Auron."

"And Faris, Lenna, Galuf, and Krile."

Zidane grinned. "Thanks. But… Cecil, how's Rosa?"

"She's fine, and I have news for all of you as well. Even if I wish Kain could hear it as well. It seems that we are to be gifted with a child."

"You should name your kid Tidus!"

"Naw, Bartz is an awesome name!"

Zidane chimed in with his own name, as well as those of a few of his others.

"I'm glad you all have suggestions," Cecil said. "But Rosa and I feel that, should he be a boy, to name him after my brother."

Cloud looked at him skeptically. "You want to name him Golbez? That's not a great name."

Cecil bowed his head. "No, that was a name he gave himself after he was corrupted by Zemus."

"Yet another one of us falls prey to the 'Family means he's good' fallacy," Squall said idly, despite having Tidus and Zidane yell and Cecil giving an uncomfortable laugh.

"Well, I will grant that he fell to temptation easily, but I hope that he is trying to redeem himself afterwards. I plan on naming my first born son Ceodore. It's not quite the same as my brother's though."

"What is it?" came three voices at once.

"Theodore. I do not believe he will ever reclaim it, even if he feels he has sufficiently redeemed himself."

The rest of the time continued with all of the former champions playing that free-for-all blitzball match Tidus wanted.

* * *

The news spread among his friends quickly, even as another disappeared before him. Vivi had stopped, Freya left for parts unknown while her lover sat in Burmecia, memory still lost, and he had three months left now.

He went through the motions of courting Garnet publicly, but there was little to their private time. He simply felt his friends needed to see the best of him before he left. For him, even if they would not remember any of it once he left.

And then the day had come, the last few months passing by like a dream. He made sure to put a long jacket on over his clothes, remembering how much even the plainest of the Alexandrian finery he now owned would look out-of-place in Amestris. It was a simple leather travelers' cloak. He thought it would fit just fine while he tried to find a new place in his new world.

When he worked backwards from when he ended up in Black Mage Village, he discovered he had returned to his home world on his seventeenth birthday. Truth-God-World had given him a year. He was blessed he was given that much. He was eighteen now, and it seemed that Kuja had made him look it. (Or so he guessed. He felt that he had reached his maximum height when he turned sixteen)

His remaining friends were there with him as he stood at the roots of the Iifa Tree. He tried to put on a strong face, and was more than willing to show the necklace Ed and Al had given him when he left. He tried to make it appear a joyous event, climbing on the roots and walking towards where he needed to be backwards or on his hands, yet it did nothing to lighten the mood, either with him or his friends.

"I'll miss you," he said. "All of you. Every day. We went through so much together, right Bert? Eiko? Beatrix? Dagger?"

Each nodded.

"It's a shame you won't remember me," he said, letting his secret slip. Eiko gasped. "You will forget me, even if you don't want to."

"For the greater good, isn't it?" Garnet said bitterly.

He nodded. "Good luck." He clapped his hands together, remembering the feel of the energy circulating around him, and he forced his hands onto the root. It felt like he melted through it to the gate.

"You went through with it," the gate's watcher said. "I'm surprised about that."

Zidane forced a smile. "I'm honest these days, mostly. It felt wrong to try and trick something like you."

It gave that inhumanly wide grin. "You prepared?"

"More than you'd expect me to."

And then he was pulled in.


	2. When The Future's Low

It didn't look like he was in the Eastern part of Amestris this time, thankfully. He hated the idea of having to explain to Roy, Riza, and Ed exactly what he was doing back so early on. He was in a graveyard instead. The lettering showed that he was at least in the right area of the world, even if he was not in Amestris.

What did he need to do? It seemed like a good way to get to the homunculi was to be a state alchemist, but first he had to show up as a citizen. He figured he was old enough to enlist himself, since it seemed the general age of majority was eighteen.

Zidane Tribal wasn't likely a name here. It wasn't really a name on Gaia either, yet he had it. Either Garland was an idiot when it came to researching Gaia or Baku thought he had a sense of humor. Either way, it didn't matter anymore. If he got his way, he'd never be created.

Strange, his goal was to keep himself from ever existing, wasn't it? Although something Truth-God-World had told him after he chose to let Gaia heal its wounds by preemptively removing the perpetrator was that he would still be able to live his life fully in Amestris, should he not die trying.

_I'll make sure you won't_.

_Thank you __so__ much for that help, Kuja._

_No problem._

He looked at some of the stones near him, reading the words carefully. The names were strange to him, as were the dates. How appropriate he ended up in a graveyard. If Truth-God-World controlled where he ended up this time, it was a perfect reminder for what awaited everyone on the world should he fail.

"Alex!" He heard someone call, a female. He turned around, seeing a young woman who could have passed as a Genome back on Gaia, despite lacking the tell-tale eyes and tail. Her face fell as she looked at him again. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't know. You just look like him."

"Like Alex? Maybe I do. What is your name?"

"Melissa," she said. "Melissa Travers." She shed a tear, which he was quick to pick up with the kerchief he once kept around his neck.

"Don't cry Melissa," he said. "You're not alone."

She shook her head. "Alex… he's my brother. He died a year ago. I was just visiting his grave, and then you were there standing on it, so I thought that maybe…"

Zidane shook his head. "You can't bring back the dead. Not even alchemists can do it. The gods themselves can barely manage without taking a cost."

She cried harder, wrapping her arms around Zidane. "I don't want to be alone. I want Alex back."

He looked at the tombstone of Alex. _Alexander Martin Travers September 3, 1895 – December 18, 1912_.

Interesting, Alexander was a name for anyone in Amestris, not just the great summon. Maybe Truth had more than one reason for having him land here. The date of birth was very close to his own, if he worked the two calendars based on solstices. "How many people know of Alex, and his death?"

"Just the town, for both. The central government doesn't head this far West very often, and we haven't had need to report his death just yet."

He grinned. "He could have been a great man, bringing fame to this town."

Melissa nodded. "But you said no one can bring back the dead."

He clapped his hands together, blanking the tombstone. "It doesn't mean they can't be great."

She looked at him. "What's your name?"

"To you, I can be Alex, if you'd allow it."

* * *

The town, which Melissa gave the name of Panenbool, welcomed "Alex" back with open arms, surprised by his ability to do alchemy, something they had only heard of. Zidane managed to even quickly adapt to responding to the new name.

_Can I call you that too?_ Kuja said playfully.

_You call me what I call myself. I'm still Zidane last I checked. Alex is just an identity for me so I can get to where I need be. Spend a few weeks letting the town get used to having him back, then go see if I qualify for being a State Alchemist. I figure I'd need a valid name and date of birth._

"Good news Zander," a friend of Alex's said. "While you went off faking the dead, you turned eighteen." He found a large stein of beer shoved into his hands. "Drink up!"

"Z-zander?" he asked. At the friend's look, he gave a nervous laugh. "I wandered off for far too long. Bits of my memory are kind of stale, Joey."

Joey nudged him, almost causing him to spill the beer. "Zander's what I always call ya. Your sister and the elders are all 'Alex this, and Alex that,' but to me, you're just my partner in crime Zander."

_I think I would have liked this kid too if he had a fair mischievous streak like Joey's implying_.

_I agree with your sentiment. You wouldn't take the name of some straight-laced fool and use it to cause havoc, would you?_

_Maybe._

_What about your promise?_

"Oi! How about another Joey? On me."

_To Mustang, may he somehow know I followed through on that claim._

He lifted his glass up and downed the beer quickly.

* * *

He tried to keep his demeanor up with the friends he could still see. As far as they knew, he was set up to become Prince Consort of Alexandria, and Garnet simply had a few troubles with having the nobles of Treno and Alexandria accept that he was a hero, and not just a lowly thief and actor. He sat in the grass next to Bartz and Squall, talking animatedly with both of them on the sparring match between Cloud and Tidus.

"Burn!" Cloud shouted, releasing a fireball. Tidus dodged it at first, despite the knowledge that it would hone in on him sooner or later. He landed on the ground and started to do several handsprings in a row, hitting Cloud.

"You're gone!" He said gleefully with the last strike, knocking Cloud into the air.

Cloud nodded as he caught himself and managed to land twenty feet away from where he started. "I give, good round, jock."

Tidus punched the air in glee. "Thanks! You weren't half-bad yourself."

"Ha! I told you he'd win!" Bartz said. "Hand over the gil, Zidane."

Zidane rolled his eyes. The money wouldn't go anywhere, but with all of them sharing the same word for the main monetary unit, they occasionally bet over silly things, just to see what each world's gil looked like. He reached into the pocket of his pants, pulling out the deep red silk wallet of Treno's finest quality. He looked in it, and frowned. He forgot about what his gil looked like. He had cen in it, instead.

_So soon?_ Kuja teased.

Zidane rolled his eyes and issued a rude order to Kuja.

"What?" Bartz said.

Zidane gave a laugh. "I'm out. I'm such a bad gambler. Good at getting money through thievery and sometimes honest means, but never gambling."

He felt a tug at the back of his mind, similar to the time he nearly drowned. His soul in the wrong time, or some part of Truth-World-God willing to help him?

_I don't think that thing really cares whether you succeed or fail_.

"Pathetic, Zidane," Squall said. "You'll probably have to pay him back in the ring."

"Uh, sure. Hey, what's that?" He pointed over towards the castle, hoping for the same effect on the other champions as it did on the monsters. He could see a bright twinkle in the sky and he bolted towards the forest, climbing up to the tops of the highest trees. They wouldn't find him there as he let his mind fall into his past and Amestris's future.

"_How many labs were there?" Bradley-that man I saw when I was in east- asks. He no longer wears that eyepatch, revealing the reason behind it. Instead of an iris and pupil, he has a marking on his eye. A dragon eating its own tail in a circle with a six-pointed star in the middle. I was right, Kuja was right. He was-is-artificial._

"_Four," I answer, well, Ed answers, but I don't see the difference for this vision. "No, wait, five." Something grabs hold of me. It feels like the hands of the Gate, but it isn't. It doesn't feel right. I feel myself breaking down yet reconstructing… still alive, still conscious through it all. It was like when I lost my arm and leg-no, when __**Ed**__ lost his arm and leg, only even after I lose sight of them, I still feel it, and lack the pain of before._

_I see bits and pieces. A strange black creature consuming a bearded man I call Hohenheim. "Welcome, my dead sacrifices." Al's not alive, the soul is elsewhere. He might be dead. No, he can't be. He… he returns, I see the light in his eyes. Oh my dear brother…_

_Mustang. He's here too. He's blinded, forced to open the gate by Pride. Not his, an artificial human like Bradley- no, Wrath. That is what he thinks of himself as. Fitting for the bloodlust Kuja and I sensed a year ago. There were seven of them. But these are the only two still alive and loyal to this creature- Father._

_We try to fight him, but slowly end up absorbed, just like Hohenheim. We see him after the rest are gone. Al's body, Mustang's eyes, my arms and legs, Master's heart, and Hohenheim's face. Five sacrifices to make Amestris into a Philosopher's Stone, which I still don't quite understand the concept of. Then each of us join him in eternal unity as he bears Truth's demonic grin._

_I lose my own identity in the time to come. Father changes his face and name and moves on to other countries repeating the same travesty, if only to add strength to his stone, each filled with pride that the same thing wouldn't happen to them as they took up Alchemy. This next group… the last one… Garland. With no better place, he promises a different world. Terra wasn't natural, but a ship of its own. An artificial planet for the souls of the last people of this world. Garland suffers the fate of being absorbed, Father taking his name, face, and position. And the long plan for Gaia begins._

"Stop pretending to be asleep!" Terra said, levitating by the branch where he lay, knocking him off it.

As a reflex, his tail curled around the branch. He wasn't even out of the memory yet, however, the branch wasn't as capable of supporting the weight of a full-sized genome in only a single spot, and it was soon cracking.

"I am not going to catch you if you fall," she said. No response came. "Fine, have it your way." She called forth a blast of ice, breaking the branch quicker.

Zidane's eyes opened and he grabbed a branch with his hands as he flew past it, spinning around. "Why'd you do that?" He asked, carefully climbing back down to the forest floor.

"You didn't respond. You know we can't sleep in this world."

He scoffed. "Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the sun with my eyes closed. Why'd you have to knock me out of that state like that?"

"Geez, Zidane, don't be so touchy," Bartz said. "Just because you lost a small bet and couldn't pay up doesn't mean it's the end of the world."

Zidane paused and looked at his friend and Terra. He took a breath. "Fine," he said. "So how about we give them a fake fight. I'll let you win, Bartz."

"Just don't lose too easily. I want to have a little fun with it too."

Zidane grinned. He could work out his frustrations pretty easily that way.

* * *

"You're amazing Zander," Joey said with a grin. "I can't believe it, you, an alchemist."

Zidane grinned. "I know, they don't seem to be that common. I was thinking of heading to Central."

Joey's face fell. "So soon? But you just returned."

"Ah, you'll still be able to visit me if I get my certification. No guarantee I'd get it, you know." He grabbed Joey and put him in a headlock, somewhat of a feat, given Joey's greater height and width. "And I'll write either way."

"You better Zander. Or I'll go over to central and beat you up first chance I get. Make you wish you let us think you dead." Joey easily escaped the headlock, trapping Zidane in one. "And if you're not a state alchemist, you better come back and help with making this farm great."

Zidane laughed. "Sure thing, Joey, gonna miss you when I head out."

"I will too," Joey said with a smile. "I will too. Don't know what I'd do without you."

"Whatever you did for the past year?" Zidane suggested.

Joey shook his head. "I was a mess without ya, Zander."

Zidane laughed a bit. "Maybe you can help Mel out with the farm? She'd probably appreciate the help."

"Sounds good to me. You know us so well."

Zidane smiled. "I try, I mean, you're my best friend and she's my sister. When I'm gone, make sure no one hurts her."

"You trust me with that?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Joey hugged him. "Thanks."

"But if you harm her, I swear…"

"You'll use your alchemy to hurt me?"

"She'll use a garden rake for a very sensitive medical operation."

Joey winced.

"And then I'll come back here and harm you with Alchemy when she writes me."

Joey winced further.

Zidane smiled and laughed. "Nah, I trust you not to do anything to her, Joey. She probably doesn't even know alternate uses for the tools used on the farm."

"Nice way to scare me."

"I could always teach her though," Zidane said, trying to keep his smile non-threatening so Joey would know it was just a joke.

He didn't and passed out.

Zidane stifled a laugh. "Oh Joey, don't ever change."

_I don't know how I'd survive without this kind of humor_.


	3. Dressed in a Cloak of Shadows

"Here's some money for your journey. Hopefully it'd help you get back if you don't succeed." Melissa gave him a tight hug. "I can't believe I'm losing you again so soon, Alex."

Zidane set his case down and returned the hug. "I'll miss you too Mel. I wish I could stay longer, but how could I miss this chance to show off what I can do."

He felt her tears near his neck. He hated making girls cry, and in the time he spent in Panenbool, he had added "especially Melissa" to that feeling. "I… I understand, Alex, but…"

Zidane nodded lightly. "I'll write. I promised Joey that too, you know? But I'll especially write you, long and frequent letters. I love ya, Mel."

She looked up at him with a smile. "Thank you, Alex. I'll always love you too, brother."

He kissed her lightly on the forehead, picking up his case and the decent amount of bills she gave him. Fifty thousand Cen. That should be enough for everything. It was a five hour journey by foot to West City, where he planned on spending the night, and then he would catch a train to Central the next day. He'd have to spend another night or two at a hotel in Central before he could take the exam, depending on when the train got in, but it would be fine, he figured.

He didn't tire too easily, having wandered around Gaia by foot years ago, and didn't need to rest at any point in time. The cool late September breeze helped as well, pushing him along the path well-worn by horse-pulled carts which brought goods to the small town he left.

* * *

West was a large city compared to Panenbool. Even Lindblum seemed dwarfed by it easily. Then again, his wanderings in East when he was sixteen also proved that the other major cities were likely all as large. If these were simply major cities, then he could hardly imagine the scale which Central must have been. He easily got lost looking for the train station, asking no less than five different vendors how to get there, enjoying the Cretan-style goods the food stands served, even if he wished he could have found Xingese grilled or fried meat balls. How he enjoyed them skewered and dipped in sauce

He was very thankful for the generous amount Melissa had given him, having spent roughly a thousand cen just getting to the station and ticket vendor.

"When is the next train to Central?" He asked nervously.

"Most'a the trains head there," the man on the other side of the desk said. "When d'ya need to be there?"

Zidane laughed a bit. "I'm not in too much of a rush, though by tomorrow evening sounds good."

The man smiled. "Yer in luck boy. Y'don't have ta stay in a cheap hotel here in West. A train ta Central is comin' in 'bout an hour. It'll get ya there by tomorrow afternoon."

"I'm a little tight on cash, though," Zidane said, hoping to use most of the money for a stay in a hotel in Central. "How much is it?"

"Bout ten thousand," the man said. "I'm fairly certain it won't be too full."

Zidane nodded and handed over a bill with the number he said. The man gave him a small sheet of paper and a few coins in change, advising him to not lose it until he got out of Central Station.

Zidane carefully read the information on the sheet of paper, telling him what platform to board at and when the train would be passing by. He looked at a map plastered on the inside wall of the station opposite the entrance.

"Let's see," he said quietly to himself. "This says that the train, which I still don't know exactly what it is, will be at Platform three. That's…" He pointed at a spot. "Here. And right now I'm by the ticket vendor which is… here." He pointed at a different location. "I'm facing this way, so I should go… that way!"

He walked nervously in a direction and turned where a sign said his train would be. There was a long platform, like the ones that Air Cabs in Lindblum used to pick up passengers, except far longer. It was about the same width, though. He sat and waited for the train, checking the time printed on his ticket versus the clock which hung above the platform impatiently. He wondered what the train looked like. Would it be like an airship? Or maybe something else? How would it propel itself? By Chocobos? Or those things called horses?

Kuja offered a few ideas, reminding him of the station he visited last time.

_But we were nowhere near where Ed and Al got off._

_You are so impractical, Zidane._

_If you don't like me, go back to your old body._

_It's dead._

_My point exactly._

He barely noticed how as the time went on, more people entered the platform, waiting for the train to come. One of the times he looked up, Zidane found himself surprised by how all the limited amount of seating on the platform had disappeared. The train must have been arriving soon.

When a train finally pulled into the platform, he was amazed by the long, snakelike engine he saw. Steam. It was powered by steam, that's what that long tube in the front was for, obviously. He looked for the door to enter the machine.

A man in a blue outfit, a uniform, stepped out, calling for any newcomers to enter, about halfway down the platform. He ran over to the man and showed him the piece of paper, noticing that many others had boarded by the time he got there.

"Good, good, welcome aboard," the man said, stepping to one side for Zidane to enter. He was very cautious as he saw the small metal foothold, like the ones on the cabs, and used it to get onto the train.

He looked around nervously. "Um… do I just stand here?" he asked.

The uniformed man laughed. "First time on a train? Just head over to your right and there's the seats for the passengers like you. Where you heading?"

"Central," Zidane said quietly. "I'm hoping to become a State Alchemist."

"Pretty young, want to be another Fullmetal?"

Zidane laughed. "I'm not that young. I'm eighteen, but I guess that's still pretty young."

"Well, that's the end of the line. I call out the names of the stations we stop at, so if you were going to one of them, you'd head to the exit then."

"Thank you, sir," Zidane said, turning to his right and finding a long aisle with benches facing forwards and backwards on either side of the aisle. People were sitting on many of the benches, likely with familial units facing each other. He thought he noticed Ed as he passed by, but tried not to linger on the short blond (repressing a chuckle at what he remembered Ed doing when people referred to his stature) or the full suit of armor across from him. He found an empty bench a few rows farther and stretched out on it, using his case to support his head, taking care to not lie on his tail.

Shortly after he found the place, he found the train moving backwards to pull away from the station before finding it turning around to continue the journey eastward. He occasionally sat up to look out the wide window next to him, but he found that scenery passing by next to him was just as boring as watching it pass by from below. Especially as most of the area he was passing was highly rural and didn't seem much different from the farmlands and wilds of the Mist Continent. The slight rocking of the car and rhythmic sound of the wheels lulled him to sleep as the sun set.

* * *

"That guy's weird," Ed said, staring at the young man who had boarded at West and spent a while trying to pretend he wasn't looking at the two Elrics.

"What's strange about him?" Al asked. "Is it how he looked at us?"

"From the way he was looking around, he's probably never been on a train. But he doesn't have that love of watching things pass that I remember having when we first took a train."

Al shrugged. "It's probably because he's older than us. Seeing the train itself is more interesting than the landscape moving. It's very similar to doing the same with a coach. I'm more worried about how he looked at us."

Ed laughed a bit. "We always get strange looks, Al, what was so different about his?"

"He was trying to not look at us. Not just pretending he wasn't, he was actually trying to avert his eyes from us. And the first time he saw me… he looked like he knew me."

"That's ridiculous. I'll go talk to the guy. He probably thought the usual, that you must have been the Fullmetal Alchemist." Ed stood up. "I'll go talk to him. Prove that he doesn't know us."

Ed walked over to the guy, smirking at the guy resting so quietly, despite his odd sleeping position and attempt to use his jacket as a blanket while still wearing it. He thought he saw a silvery chain by the collar of his white shirt, with some sort of charm on it poking a small piece of it out from underneath. "Hey, you," he said.

The man stirred a bit, muttering something he didn't understand beyond a word… a stone of some sort.

"What was that?"

"You bother me," the man said rubbing his eyes. "Was sleeping well."

"My brother said you were looking at us when you boarded."

The man stiffened. "It is interesting to see a man in vintage armor. Must get pretty rusty. That is all. Can I sleep again?"

Ed could tell that the man didn't have much to say. "Yeah, that's all. Hope you have a safe trip."

"Thankoo…" The man said, drifting back to sleep as Ed went back to the bench he used.

Al looked at him hopefully. "So?"

"He might have seen us before," Ed said. "But I don't know how. He seemed uncomfortable, but it might just have been because I woke him up."

"You seem to be erring on the side of caution."

Ed shrugged. "I want to, because if it's not that, I don't want to know what he's doing back." Ed stifled a yawn. "Getting pretty late, isn't it?"

Al nodded. "Get some rest, brother. You'll need it for trying to catch our transfer to East tomorrow.

Ed nodded sleepily, stretching out and falling asleep himself.

* * *

Zidane woke again as the morning sun burned his eyelids. Did he manage to dream outside of Cornelia, conversing with Ed? Or had that really happened? He didn't know, in all honesty. He looked out the window, seeing the area far more developed than it was before.

He looked through his memory… trying to recall what he'd need and where a good place to stay was. Maybe he could ask Ed those things.

_Brilliant idea_, Kuja touched. _I can see it now "Hey! Elric! Where can I stay?" You'll be on the wrong end of his mutated automail in nothing flat._

_I'd have more tact than that, Kuja_, Zidane replied with a roll of his eyes. _Maybe play the "Hey, you in the armor, you're the Fullmetal Alchemist!" trick he hates. Of course, I'd ignore the whole second round of "That shorty" or "That kid" and jump straight to "Oh, well, you see… I'm hoping to become a State Alchemist, and I was wondering..."_

_I don't think so Zidane. Bug someone at the station in a military uniform, like the one Mustang and Hawkeye…_

_Roy and Riza, please. Even if they ask me otherwise, I'll think of them like that._

_You interrupted me._

_Well, you interrupted me first, so fair's fair._

Kuja's touch flourished angrily in a fashion which clearly meant he was done with the conversation.

He looked out the window, noticing that he had slept until the sun was relatively high. The train was slower than it was during the earlier parts of the journey. He guessed that it was nearing a station, even if it wasn't Central.

His stomach rumbled uncomfortably. He likely had a few hours until the train got to Central. Where could he get food? Asking Ed was out, never minding the fact that he had no idea what he was doing in the West. Maybe he could ask that ticket-taker. No, he didn't feel like it. He could get food once he got to Central. There was bound to be stands near the station.

It took a long time until he arrived in Central, and he was quite pleased once he found an exit of the station, having a station master look at his ticket before he could leave. The man was helpful, pointing him in the direction of a hotel and some of the better food stands nearby. He spent another two-thousand cen on food and drink as he made his way to the hotel.

"Central Grand State Hotel," he read aloud, idly wondering about the name of it. He walked in, noticing several people in Military uniforms.

_It must be where the troops posted elsewhere come and stay as well_, Kuja touched. _So the hotel earned the privilege of being sponsored by the State_.

Zidane resisted the need to nod at Kuja's remark as he made his way to a desk.

"Hello kiddo," The man behind the desk said. "Where'd you run away from? Does your mother know you're out?"

"My dearest Mum is dead," Zidane said. "I turned eighteen a while ago, so even if she were alive, I wouldn't need her permission to be here. I wanted to take the exam to become a state alchemist."

One of the men turned and faced him. "I'll help you with that, dear child!" The man said, running over to him. "Youthful dreams should always be granted."

"Th-thank you, sir," Zidane said nervously. "But right now I just…"

"No need to stay at this hotel. I will let you stay at my family home while I fill out your forms for the exam."

"No sir, it's…"

"Call me Major Alex Louis Armstrong, child."

Zidane nodded. "Yes, Major, but really, I ins…"

Armstrong grabbed his hands and pulled him out of the building.

"So what is your name?" he asked.

"Alex. Alexander Travers. I guess we have the same first name, sir."

Armstrong beamed. "Good strong name for you, Travers."

He felt Kuja's annoying laugh-like touch and issued a rude order.

_If you don't want my help, fine, I'll leave_.

_Where to? Your body's dead, and for all your complaining about wanting a final rest, you never seem to do anything about it_.

Kuja's next touch was bitter, deciding to once again flounce away into the depths of Zidane's mind.

"You're pretty quiet, Travers."

Zidane gave a weak smile. "I know. It's just… I haven't been around strangers a lot. I grew up in a small town, where everybody knew everybody, so this whole 'Being an outsider' thing is kind of nerve wracking, Major."

"How long have you used alchemy?" Armstrong asked.

"A while. I was… fifteen or sixteen when I understood what it was I was doing and tried to find ways to practice it. Everyone in Panenbool was shocked once I got the hang of it. Spent a year wandering and found some towns that had some books and other alchemists to help train me."

Armstrong smiled. "You're pretty confident for someone who hasn't trained much formally."

Zidane laughed a bit. "I know, but still, it's worth it to give this a shot. At worst, I can get a few more books to help me practice. I think I have enough for one or two."

"I didn't mean it in a bad way, Travers. I am inspired by your drive. And if you fail, I am more than willing to provide you housing this time next year."

Zidane paused. "Next year? I couldn't try again sooner?"

Armstrong shook his head. "Come, I'll hail us a cab, we'll get there sooner that way.

Hailing a cab was nothing like Lindblum's air cabs. It more resembled hiring one in Treno, requiring gathering the attention of the carriage driver. Armstrong was quite good at that.

On the way to Armstrong's house, Zidane found himself with a wealth of information about the exam and life of a state alchemist.

"You don't have to formally join the military," Armstrong had said, surprising Zidane. "Several don't, although it won't stop you from being called in the case of emergency if you don't. I fear the day when Fullmetal gets called would happen too soon."

"He must have been lucky," Zidane replied. "But I'm willing to be a formal member of the military. Working in a command sounds like an interesting job, and I certainly would love living here in Central. It's so different from home."

"You will also be required to do an assessment sometime in the month before the anniversary of your acceptance."

"Sounds tough."

Armstrong looked at him sternly. "You can always head back."

"But I'm up to tough."

Armstrong was a little forceful, but he did quite enjoy the information he had gathered. It was strange how he experienced déjà vu and wanted to run screaming at first. Or face him head on, possibly. He couldn't remember who it was that Armstrong reminded him of. It wasn't the fact that he might have known him as Ed, whether or not that was the case. His only memories from before his true existence were of the last hour alive.

He was amazed by the mansion before him. "I… I had no idea… Major Armstrong… sir… I… I don't deserve this."

The major insisted, introducing his sisters and parents to Zidane. He thought the youngest, Catherine, was cute, but only cute.

_Garnet has you wrapped around her little finger._

_I just don't like blonds. 'Specially not blondes from Amestris. Never know which ones were used as genetic material for me, seeing as Ed was fully absorbed by Garland._

_Seems you're not her type either. She likes men like her father and brother._

_Makes it easier for me, then._

The next day, as he prepared to head to Central Command for his test, he was stopped by the Major's parents and sisters.

"Good strong name," Armstrong's father said. "Hope you grow to be like my son. He got his certification on his first try."

Zidane smiled. "Thank you for your kindness sir, not just for luck. For letting me intrude for the night."

The older man nodded. "It is no worry. He's a good judge of character."

"He scared me a bit at first. A big, strong man showing up and taking me some place I didn't know the location of? Guess he's a better judge of character than I am."

"Good luck," Catherine said with a smile. "It was nice meeting you."

* * *

**This was originally two chapters, but I thought both alone were way too short, both under 2000 words, so I glommed them together, even if it meant not finishing with Ed's very smart comment. If only Roy would be as smart as you… I'm getting ahead of myself there.**

**Oh, I left out Armstrong's catch phrase. How could I? Here we go: "I've passed this EX Burst down to myself for CYCLES!" _–is booed-_ Oh come _on_, I had to write it. I just had to! I mean, I bet Wolie's Garland looks like Armstrong under that fabulous set of armor anyway, cuz it's like… Garland Louis Armstrong. I bet that's his full name. Or maybe it's Alex Louis Garland… hm…**

**I needed to get it out of my system. My friends think I'm nuts, not just for that, but because I once didn't realize something I said involving Kuja and his Holy Balls until too late, of course, said other people probably didn't even get the last bit of how dirty that was and… Okay okay, shutting up soon.**

**Next chapter: Zidane's evaluation, which involves not only a few improved versions of his old Dyne/HP attacks, but also one of his opening quotes. Oh, and how bloody thin his disguise is when people actually give any care for the little details. Until next time!**


	4. Too Late For Whispers

He passed the first parts of the exam easily, even if Kuja felt it seemed too easy. The physical and mental tests were a joke. The first was easy because he was Zidane Tribal, thief, actor, alchemist, hero extraordinaire! Even if he shied from speaking that aloud. The mental parts came easily due to his nature of having some of Ed's memories of the test, which didn't seem to change based on who was taking it and when. He also managed to prove himself mentally sound by ignoring all the advice Kuja tried giving him during the interview, using the answers of Alexander's life he managed to dig up during his time in that nice town. He promised to write to Melissa and Joey, among the others he befriended there under false pretenses.

Then came the part he found hardest, his display of alchemical skill.

He stood in an empty room in front of three higher-ups. _Traitors_, both Kuja and the shards of Ed's memory he had screamed at him. _Trading your country for an unpromised shot at immortality_. Still, he took a deep breath, holding the piece of chalk in one hand, and one of the few items he requested, a pair of state-issue handguns, in the other.

"I don't know why you'd want such a strange item, Travers, seeing as you're an alchemist."

Zidane grinned. "I prefer to put my alchemy to more practical uses than directly killing others. Not everyone can be a Flame or Crimson."

He quickly made the circle to transmute the guns into the shape of his favored weapon. It was known as a mage masher back in Gaia. It wasn't very useful as a dagger, given its shape was more for slicing rather than stabbing, but he could never get over the wonder of its unique shape or choice of daring colors, and the fact that it was particularly brutal in the hands of the Lindblum Soldiers who fought in the Mage Wars a few centuries before his time. It also had a shape that made it useful as a utility knife, such as cutting twigs and helping to start fires. He made care to keep the barrels of the guns still in-tact. He wanted to create a new weapon. The Mage Masher also lent itself well to that idea. He took a look at the weapons in his hand. Shaped exactly how he wanted them to.

"Here, take a look at them close up," He said, handing one up to his judges for examination.

"Pretty good," One, Raven, said. "Quite an interesting design you give the blades."

"It's Cretan," Zidane bluffed. He would have preferred claiming Xing as the inspiration, but he was supposed to be from the West, not the East. "At least the blade design is. I saw a couple as a kid and always liked the shape of them, and thought it would be interesting to combine the blade with a gun."

Raven smiled. "Using exotic weaponry isn't a half-bad idea, as long as they don't find out. I think you're pretty good as an alchemist. Although I might need more time to deliberate on whether you're state alchemist material right now."

Dammit, he didn't have enough time to be denied. He read the forms, he'd have to wait a year to try again. He needed all the time he could get to fix Amestris and keep Terra from invading Gaia.

He marked the blades with the circle, returning them to their original form when he got them back. "Thank you for your consideration General." An idea came to him, bribery. "If you want, you can take the idea and produce these gun-blades for the military." He chuckled at his own little joke, thinking of Squall. "After all, they're useful for both close and far range. Good for war, isn't it?"

"Quite an interesting tactic, Mr. Travers," Raven said with a grin. "Haven't seen that one before, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass on your offer, tempting as it…"

"Watch out!" came the call of an MP. "Chimera on the loose!"

"What happened?" Raven said to the MP. "Why is there a chimera in Central Command?"

He didn't get an answer; instead, a large creature came running into the room. Without thinking, Zidane quickly built up walls in front of his judges, protecting them. "How about a demonstration of my skill with them, then?" Zidane asked with a grin. He quickly transmuted the two guns back to the hybrids and jumped over the creature, firing a few clips into it.

None of the bullets hit anything vital, partially because Zidane hadn't realized the force of the bullets tried to push his hand back as they propelled forward, but he did succeed in drawing the attention of the beast. It turned to face him.

"Yeah, I know you want some of this," He said with a grin. "Don't you? Some nice prime tender flesh, freshly killed by you, if even."

It lunged at him. He jumped to one side, reflexively taunting it by saying "too slow."

He sliced at a front leg, scaly, but with the shape of a mammalian foot.

"I have you now!" He took a few more shots at the chimera's breast from his safe distance and it fell to the floor.

Zidane lowered the walls he set up and grinned. "So how about it, General? I got the job?"

Raven grinned. "Your skills are most impressive, Mr. Travers. Unfortunately, I'm not the highest ranking one who saw your examination. Although I must say that I'd automatically pass anyone who lacks the need for an array, no matter if he prefers using circles.

_Didn't want that to happen, what do I do?_

_Smile and nod, Zidane. He meant it as a compliment._

_He meant it as "Now we have a fourth sacrifice."_

_How would you know that, Zidane? I don't think the homunculi told the shadow conspiracy that much._

"Er, thank you General, though I was under the impression that you were the one who was in charge of this."

"Not so Mr. Travers," Said a new voice. He recognized it, he could never forget Bradley. "I believe I saw that wonderful dispatching of the chimera. Come, let me talk to you in my office about it."

"Ah, Fuhrer," Zidane said. "Thank you for your kind request."

_I believe I said something about this, Kuja_.

* * *

He ended up pleased with how the practical turned out, even if he hated revealing his ability to not require the arrays so soon. Especially to three of the traitors. They would turn him in for a cen.

_You think one is too many_.

_I told you, I don't want to be pinned as a sacrifice. There are some things I actually want to keep the same if I fail._

His fears increased when he met with the Fuhrer, the only one of the homunculi he had already managed to learn of.

"I was watching your assessment," he said.

Sure, he already knew that much, but still, if he brought it up, it wasn't good news. Not good at all. Just keep bluffing him. "Yeah," Zidane said. "I was a bit surprised by what I did also. I don't think I was that grand of an alchemist to pull off those stunts."

"Nonetheless, you managed to do so, and I hope we can expect the same during your yearly assessments."

He gave a look of surprise, hopefully not too theatrical and more natural. "Yearly assessments, sir? You mean that…"

"Congratulations Mr. Travers," Bradley said with a smile. "You're now a state alchemist. I'll be assigning you a codename and official certificate within the week." Bradley took Zidane's hands in his own, shaking them kindly. For the moment, he could almost believe that was all to the Fuhrer, especially when his hands were released and he saw the homunculus slipped the silver pocket watch marking his new status into his hands during the time. "I was thinking Axiom Alchemist, but one would never know."

Zidane gave a polite nod, trying to not let on more than he did. "How kind of you, Furher. May I inquire as to why such a strange name?"

"If you have to inquire, then you know it's not because of your performance at the exam." Bradley's sudden change to a more serious tone froze Zidane. Bradley- Wrath- knew.

He couldn't know, though. That was too wild, even for the Ultimate Eye. Wrath was bluffing, he had to be.

_Bluff back, you idiot. If he's not bluffing, he'll catch yours._

Kuja was ever-helpful in assisting him. "How crazy," Zidane said. "I was just wondering, seeing as I don't think I know that much about alchemy. I'm just a humble kid from the West who ended up with the gift and practiced with it a little." He paused too long for the effective bluff. Wrath caught the lie.

"Too late to try that Travers. Your knowledge of the Gate is quite apparent in your style. I just want to know how such an advanced homunculus can exist."

"They can't, not yet," Zidane said. It was the truth.

Wrath frowned. "Yet you're still here. What's your name?"

"Alexander Travers," He said.

"Your real name."

"Edward Elric." It was the truth, technically. Not the smartest of ideas, but he figured it would be wiser to tell a partial truth than the whole truth. The whole _I-managed-to-bargain-my-price-with-Truth-to-get-what-I-wanted_ part seemed more upsetting than the _Coming from the future_ bit.

Wrath couldn't possibly look angrier. "You lie."

"You think I'd give away my name? Some cultures hold the name in a position of power. Alexander Travers, Zander for short, to you, my liege." Zidane gave an ornate, full bow.

Wrath was placated and he saw the façade again. "I like the sound of 'My Liege,' Travers. Very well, I can let you keep your name a secret for the time being. You'll report to me tomorrow, though, Axiom."

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter, but the next one covers pretty much the entire time from the next day to the time in which the Elrics go to Liore. With two dream sequences, sorry. But there's not really any more after those two, if I remember correctly. It'll probably be a while though, seeing as I'm struggling with a few of the scenes three-or-four chapters away.**


	5. Ready To Let Go

**Okay, I know there's really only about one person who is interested in this, but still, this merits a bit of warning. The whole universe that this takes place in is primarily composed of several wandering theories I have in my crazy head!multiverse. I don't believe in all of them, but I have convinced myself of many, including and especially the link between Zidane and Ed. In this (very long) chapter, I make reference to a personal belief of mine I've had since 2001; that Zidane is bisexual. He flirts with both Roy and Squall in varying degrees of subtleness. I wrote the scenes convincing myself it's pretty shallow in both cases and he doesn't love either more than Garnet, keeping his promise he made back in chapter 1. However, while his thing with Roy is much shorter and will be made clear how shallow it is after I go through the Greed Arc (which is probably the place where this and FMA really split), all the Dissidia guys don't show up after this chapter, not giving the small plot much closure.**

**And so, even though I'm not huge on many warnings, if you believe Zidane is the straightest thing that ever straight-ed, and you refuse to read anything that makes him even bisexual-preferring-female, (Which despite the higher number of named guys he flirts with in this story, I'm trying to write him as) then don't read this, because Zidane's relatively casual look at sexual identity is… while not super important… does play quite a bit in the way he interacts with several characters, and how they react back at him. I beg pardon for this stupid long writer's note.**

**Wait, one more thing before we pick up, this story will not be updated for a while, as aformentioned Greed Arc is coming slowly (As is a passing mention of Scar)  
**

"Good morning, my liege," Zidane said as he entered the Fuhrer's office the next day. "How may I be of service to you?"

"Get a uniform on, Travers," Bradley said with annoyance. "You're working in Central Command."

Zidane nodded. "Of course, sir." He started to head out when he turned back. "Mind telling me where, sir?"

Bradley gave a smile. "It should be near the Court Martial department. Here's a map in case you end up lost." He handed a map to Zidane. "Come back right after you put it on. Understood, Major?"

Zidane nodded. "Yes, my liege."

He heard Bradley give an amused, self-congratulatory chuckle as he left.

The map was easy enough to follow. Despite the strange elevator which only appeared on one floor, Central wasn't as much of a labyrinth as it first seemed. It was hardly a maze at all. The halls, for the most part, were straight, with branches that properly marked which direction nearby departments were located. He followed signs which would lead him closer to the Court Martial department. Finally he saw a sign on a door saying "Stock House" at a fork.

Unfortunately, the door to the stock room was locked. He banged on it some ineffectually.

"Need help?" he heard someone say beside him.

He jumped in shock. "I… didn't hear you come. I – I'm sorry!"

The man laughed a bit, pushing his glasses up. "You could have just come next door and asked someone from Court Marital. What's your name?"

Zidane stood firmly. "Alexander Travers, sir. I'm the Axiom Alchemist."

"Haven't heard of that one before."

"I'm… kind of new, sir, I just got credited yesterday."

The man held up a keychain. "Well then, you best get your uniform if you're working here." He unlocked the door and opened it. The room was tidy, with the uniforms and other pieces attached neatly to the walls.

"Not very tall, are you, Travers?" he heard the man mutter. "I don't know if the male uniform will fit you."

_Kuja!_

_I didn't do anything, Zidane. Blame Garland for your height._

_But couldn't you make me even taller after you joined me?_

_Well, unless I became the default personality, which I know you won't let me, you'll have more of your features than mine._

"Kind of skinny too, aren't you?"

"Yes sir, I understand. But still, let's give it a try."

_Unless you became the default personality?_

_Hey, I had to work with Alchemy, not magic! You can put on weight or work out if it bothers you that much._

Zidane ignored Kuja, tail swishing wildly underneath his coat.

"Here, try this pair of trousers on," the man said, tossing a pair over, nearly hitting Zidane's face.

"Um, pardon my asking, sir, but where can I undress?"

The man looked at him, his eyes unable to be seen through the glasses. "I don't see what's wrong with here, Travers?"

Zidane gave a bit of a nervous grin. "It's just I'm a little…"

"Modest, yeah, I've heard that before, Travers. Nothing's wrong with your body, right?"

"Well, you see, I have this huge rash on my left leg, got it a while back, on my eighteenth, to be precise. I never found out what caused it because my best friend is being a smarmy git about the whole incident, so I could never get it properly fixed." Zidane hoped it worked as a lie.

"You can go to a clinic for that later, Travers, but if that's what's bothering you, I guess I can step out until you're ready."

"Thank you sir," Zidane said. "I'll knock when I am ready."

The man nodded, stepping out.

It was quite tricky to Zidane to find a way to hide his tail. He couldn't just make a cut where it would desire to come out like he did with the pair Riza gave him two years ago. After some creative problem solving, and much cursing at Kuja for some inappropriate ideas, he managed to find a way that minimized his discomfort.

He wrapped his tail around one leg underneath the pants, which thankfully were quite generous in fabric near the top. He wished he could have put it around his waist, but he found it much tighter and not just to his hips showing up more prominently. It was very clear that he would be out-of-uniform without a proper belt.

He briefly rapped the door of the room before looking for the belts and taking off his jacket.

"Fits you pretty good," his helper said. "Guess you were right about the men's uniform."

Zidane turned around with a smile. "I sure am. By the way, sir, I don't believe I caught your name."

"Hughes," the man said. "Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes. Guessing you're a Major if you're a new Alchemist."

"That high in the command already?" Zidane said distantly. "Seems a little too easy."

He turned his attention to Hughes. "I mean, it's a pleasure Hughes. Should I get a standard issue shirt, or are ones like this fine?"

Hughes paused a moment. "Can't hurt to get a standard issue, if there's one in your size. If not, I'm sure I can make a list of places that can make one that works as well. Would you prefer black or white?"

"Black, I guess. I don't have a lot of clothes, so I guess unless I fall into a vat of white paint, I wouldn't have to wash it as much."

"Don't worry, Travers, you'll get a couple spares."

It continued a few more times, locating a proper shirt, jacket, and various extra bits, such as belt, shoes, and gloves, although Zidane was more than willing to let Hughes stay in for the extra parts.

"Thank you, sir," Zidane said with a salute. "I shall let the Fuhrer know how you helped."

Huges hid a slight laugh. "You don't have to do that, Travers. The department I'm in is always willing to help out.

* * *

"Dear Melissa," he said aloud as he wrote. It was hard for him to make the letters look like he was a natural. "Good news. I've passed the test. Your dear brother is now the Axiom Alchemist. I also happen to be the second-youngest state alchemist, currently and ever. The youngest is a 14-year-old name of Elric. Maybe you've heard of him. I've heard several things about him here in Central, most of them good, but I don't think I'll be running into him any time soon. He spends most of his time in the east."

He tapped his pen to his face, getting a few drops of ink on his chin. "I impressed the Fuhrer during my assessment. He came to see what was happening. A chimera from someone's assessment came running at him and I managed to save him with my gift. He was very impressed that a wide-eyed country boy like me could think fast enough to save him. He's even requested that I work in his office. I'm aware that it likely means that I'm just doing some paperwork, but he promised that I could go to the libraries a few times a week and read others research notes."

He paused again. "My trip over here was fine. I managed to get in ahead of schedule, and a state alchemist actually gave me shelter for a few days before I got my permanent residence in Command. He was really nice, Alex Louis Armstrong. He seems to be well known… and well feared…" He didn't add the addition "around here. His family was real nice and he had an adorable little sister. Not as adorable as my little sister, of course. Before you ask, no, she's not my girlfriend. Neither of us are the other's type."

That was enough about him. "So, how are things back in Panenbool? I hope Joey and you don't miss me too much. You both are welcome to come and visit sometime, as long as you don't surprise me." He tried to think of more to ask her, but shook his head. He closed the letter with his "Alex" signature.

* * *

Roy hated his yearly assessment. That was taking it lightly. Since he was in charge of Alchemy in the East, he sadly was prevented from just granting himself an automatic pass each year. Instead, he had to head to Central and show his findings to the Fuhrer himself.

He stepped off the train into the busy station, something he couldn't stand. There was Armstrong, waiting for him as usual. He pushed his way through the busy crowd to the very tall man.

"So, when is my appointment?" he said as calmly as he could manage.

Armstrong looked at him in surprise. "You're here today too, Mustang?"

He swallowed his annoyance. "It's time for my yearly assessment."

"Oh! Major Armstrong! You found him," came someone else. He was dressed in the formal military blue, with the pocket watch marking his status as a State Alchemist hooked to his jacket instead of trousers. "I was looking for the Colonel myself."

"It's no problem," Armstrong said to the newcomer. "It's more like he found me."

Mustang found it unlikely that the strange man would have found him easily, with his slight build easily getting lost in the crowd of Central's Grand Station. "Who might you be?"

He shoved the arm full of papers to the Major as he took Roy's hand, shaking it violently. "Major Alexander Travers, the Axiom Alchemist. Friends call me Zander. I also serve as the Fuhrer's secretary." Travers let go of Roy's hand, taking his papers with him. "The Fuhrer will be so glad to see you, Colonel, if you'd just follow me to the escort car."

If there was one thing about Travers that stood out to Roy, it was how fast he was. He quickly managed to disappear again into the crowds. If Roy wasn't certain that he knew the location of the exit, he probably could have gotten lost in the mess. It was strange, his voice seemed familiar. He couldn't quite place it.

"There you are," Travers said with a grin. "I was wondering if I had lost you again. Your appointment is soon, and the Fuhrer would have my hide if you weren't there on time."

Travers wasn't as fast running to the escort vehicle as he was in the crowds, or at least, he didn't seem to be. After opening door and putting his papers away, he waited for Roy to enter before doing so himself, surprising Roy with having different personnel driving the two to the headquarters.

"Usually there's only one person," Roy said.

Travers smiled. "I know, but you inspired me to become a state alchemist, so I desired to speak with you on the way there. The Fuhrer was very understanding in this case and let me have my wish."

"You say you're both a State Alchemist and the Fuhrer's assistant."

"He doesn't seem to trust me much, despite the fact I'm supposed to be some sort of prodigy. He still grants me enough time to pursue research in the libraries at least."

Roy suppressed a laugh at Travers's claim to being a prodigy. "Just how old are you?"

"I turned eighteen six months ago, and became a state alchemist five. I first showed signs of the gift at fifteen."

"You're not the youngest."

Travers chuckled. "So it would seem. I've heard of Fullmetal. Shame he got his title before I started honing my talent. Then again, I didn't have the support of the Flame Alchemist on my side and had to be patient."

Roy glared at Travers. "Where did you hear that rumor?"

Travers laughed. "I'm the Fuhrer's assistant. I have access to the reports you filed, and permission to read just about anything pertaining to alchemy. It wasn't hard to connect the dots based on the reports your lovely assistant wrote up for us."

Roy sent a glare at the kid, who just laughed a bit before turning to looking at some of the work he had brought with him.

"Well," Travers said as the driver slowed the car. "We're at the headquarters. I hope you're ready for the Assessment. Are they tougher than the ones we have to go through the first time around?"

"It depends on how you won over your judges. I have a hard time, considering my title."

Travers grinned. "Then maybe you'll need a drink afterwards. I can buy you one if you want."

Roy paused. Some memory hit him, a different blond boy, jokingly saying he'd buy Roy a drink once he was old enough. He shook his head. That kid was gone. "No thank you, Axiom," he said. "Besides, drinking with a C.O. is an offense."

"How about after hours, then? We can dress out of uniform, so no one would know."

He smirked. "Maybe some other time, Travers."

Travers nodded. "Of course. I'll see you later, then."

Roy hoped not as he headed to his usual location for his assessment.

* * *

Melissa loved getting letters from the man she now called her brother. She often wanted to write back, but nothing seemed to happen in Panenbool that she was capable of thinking up.

She saw the man from West carrying an official mail bag and knew it meant another letter from the new Alex.

"Ah, Ms. Travers. It seems your admirer in Central sent you another letter," he said.

She laughed, saying it was her brother, not admirer. "I've forced him to promise to write so I won't think he's dead."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's the case," the man said with a chuckle as he handed the letter with the official seal of a state alchemist over to her. "There's one for a Joel Grant as well."

Joey ran over. "Can't believe he used that name for the letter. Remind me to kill Zander, okay, Melly?"

Melissa sent a glare at him before running off to read the letter in the uncomfortably empty house she called home. She lay back on her bed, being careful to not destroy the envelope or the seal as she opened the letter.

_Dear Melissa,_

_I wish I had more to say this time, but really, life is just as boring in Central as it was back home. It seems like it wasn't Panenbool that was too small, but Amestris. Mind packing and helping me move to Xing?_

She laughed a bit. The new Alex had large amounts of humor to spare for her. Her real brother never cared to be close to her like she had wanted before. In all honesty, she found it refreshing the new one was willing to be close, even after she told him that the real one wouldn't. He had said that he liked the idea of having a family, since he lacked one wherever he came from. That people with siblings don't really know what they have.

_Well, okay, something interesting did happen. Colonel Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, came in for his assessment a few days ago. He seemed to pass with flying colors, but he didn't want me to buy him a drink in celebration_.

There seemed to be reasons she missed her brother too. The new Alex was a little too keen on drinking. It was quite a nasty habit, perhaps she could let him know that it was a blessing the Colonel turned him down and it was a sign from some god that he should stop.

_It was fine though, he did seem to be okay with me otherwise, and liked having an admirer of his talents that was so close to the Fuhrer. I keep forgetting to tell you! On my ride over, I think I saw the Full Metal Alchemist. Well, I did see a tall man dressed completely in some steel armor. There's no one else who could possibly be Full Metal, you know? I can't believe I'm so lucky to keep meeting these famous state alchemists. If only I could meet Van Hohenheim and Izumi Curtis, but they're not state alchemists, and I've heard that Mrs. Curtis is highly distrustful of the military, so I don't think I ever could. Mrs. Curtis would probably kill me, again._

She had to have a laugh at that. As far as any interceptors went, they would assume his cover story that he went off wandering the wilds and everyone thought he was dead, and that he was making a joke of it.

_Oh! I almost forgot! I finally got my permit to carry a pistol. Can't believe it took this long, seeing as how my test of alchemy showed that I could use them and was quite proficient, despite my original reaction to the recoil the first time I used them. I just got my pistol and have named it "Dagger." Sorry, long story about my test and times away from Panenbool._

_I really miss you, Mel. You should come visit some time. Your birthday is in a month or two, right? I'd love to show you around if you could come over to Central. Joey too, if you didn't feel safe travelling alone. From the couple letters he sent me, it seems like he really cares for you. Maybe not as a crush, but as a second big brother, at the very least._

_Central is so different than anywhere else I've been. It's big. By big, I mean bigger than most of the other cities I've been to combined. I'm so thankful that I don't have to leave the Command Center Compound much. I can see my office from the window of my small room. My boss, the Fuhrer, is so kind to let me have a single, especially as I've been in the military for what? Four months now? No, almost five now._

_I hope to hear from you soon, Mel._

_Your big brother,_

_Alex_

She smiled as she looked at the signature. He had worked so hard on it, and now it resembled Alex's in many ways. She wondered if he really wasn't. The only things she could find that were very different were his eyes and taste for alcohol. She could possibly dismiss the latter by saying he was averse to drinking before he was legal, but she wasn't certain if Alex would have if he had lived.

Well, if she was honest with herself, there was also that item under his always-present (At least during waking hours) coat that she thought she saw twitching under the coat, or the quilt on his bed when she watched him sleep. It seemed like a cat tail, but she was never close enough to examine it, and would have likely offended the new Alex that she wasn't content to let it lie. She'd take a look if he let her.

She went over to the desk near her bed, pulled out a sheet of paper, and began to write a response with everything she could think of.

* * *

Zidane found a surprise when he checked his mail that day. He always checked it at least once a week, but beyond the usual orders and mass-mailings of the military, he had little to look forward to, so when he saw a letter with Melissa's handwriting on it, he smiled. The envelope was far plainer than the ones he often sent to her, but that didn't bother him. It was a letter from a girl he loved deeply as a friend – perhaps even a sister. He shoved the letter into his jacket pocket and rushed to his room, glad he checked in the evening instead of morning.

He wasn't careful with opening, like she was. He only made sure to keep her lovely writing on the envelope in one piece, and he didn't want to ruin the letter either.

_My dear brother Alex,_

_I'd love to go to Xing with you, provided you can get us the proper papers for travel, but I would only care to visit, not live there. You make me laugh, you know. I don't mind it, either. Your new attitude towards life after your disappearance is quite enjoyable, if only you wouldn't drink so much. You were so good about not drinking as a kid, and I hope it wasn't just because you were a kid. The Colonel, who I suppose you idolize based on how much you gushed over him in your letter, did you a favor by turning down your offer for drinks._

_Life back here sounds boring compared to everything you write about in your letters. Although I don't think I ever could find the time to travel to Central for anything short of your marriage or funeral, I appreciate the offer. Should the former happen, I hope you'd be able to let me visit the Central Library, I hear it's amazing, and not just from you when you talk about all your findings and research. Is it really true you found an old manuscript of a Xerxes text?_

_Joey's been even more annoying to me lately than usual, calling me "Melly" and teasing me about how if I love you so much, I should just marry you. It's gross. You're my brother, no matter how I look at it._

Zidane looked at that last sentence several times. Was it all an act, in case someone intercepted the letter? Or could it have been a sincere acceptance that he was enough like her brother that at times, she managed to forget they weren't.

The rest of the letter was an apology for not writing back often, and how she had trouble coming up with things to say. It didn't matter though, she saw him as a brother.

* * *

"Happy birthday to me," Zidane said to himself in the bar. "I'm now nineteen. Another year older."

_And a year I wasted doing nothing for my cause if not actively hindering it._

_That's not true_, he felt Kuja touch. _You have some invaluable information, and confirmed several of your spare suspicions._

Zidane stared into the musky amber color of his whiskey. He had barely touched it since the night began. Such an interesting drink. It didn't seem to exist back on Gaia. Its taste kept him from drinking it quickly, rich, not disgusting. At least it meant he couldn't end up making a fool of himself if he got drunk.

_Waxing poetic on a drink? Are you sure you're not me?_

_Go away, Kuja. It's my birthday, I can spend it how I wish._

Kuja didn't seem willing to oblige him that desire. He was more tempted to hammer home the good Zidane had done over the past year. Zidane barely listened and tried to down the whiskey in front of him. He choked.

"I warned you, kid," the bartender said distantly. "But you don't listen. Pull that stunt with something else."

Zidane distantly nodded, taking another sip.

… _And then the summoners worshipped me as their god of cheese._

The sip returned to the cup.

_I figured you weren't paying attention. I made you laugh though, right?_

Zidane paused a moment, trying to take a sip again to hide something. _You did, thanks_.

_Happy theoretical birthday, brother._

* * *

He must have been desperate, or perhaps that drink of his had transferred with his consciousness. He flirted with several pretty girls in Amestris, and loved teasing the Colonel as well. He'd let Roy know who he really is sooner or later. Yet he swore he'd only love Garnet, though, and he _kissed_ Squall during a for-fun fighting tournament between all the former champions of Cosmos.

"I thought you said you were engaged," Was the first thing he heard.

"It… was a mild exaggeration I told Bartz. I just wanted to see him falter. Garnet proposed to me when she saw me again after I was gone for a long time. I didn't accept."

Bartz was hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Zidane looked away. "You know how I said that Kuja's not all bad, and that I found out something about the past of my creator? I took a chance to make my friends lives better by only keeping two from existing. I wish it could have been just one instead."

Amarant wouldn't have been framed. Garnet could live her life as the peaceful summoner Sarah with a family that loved her… and a friend in Eiko, a change from before. Steiner and Beatrix would never have to question their loyalties to Brahne. Freya wouldn't go chasing after the shadows of Fratley because Beatrix wouldn't be seen as a menace to the Burmecians. Brahne wouldn't meet Kuja and go mad with power. Quina would… well, be Quina, chasing and eating frogs in the Marsh, or working in Alexandria. Only he and Vivi would never exist. And he almost thought that Vivi also never existing made it too high of a price.

"If you want, I can just stay away for a few days to let this pass. I didn't mean to bother you."

He tried to focus on returning back to his body, in the decent suite Wrath set him up in when Squall interrupted.

"Why did you kiss me?"

Zidane shrugged. "I find you attractive. Don't love you except as a friend. Bereft of Garnet for about a year now, I guess I just wanted some real affection. I'll stay out of your way a few days, though. Enough to let it chill." Again, he focused on the room, the walls a stoic white, the window looking out on the dirty city of Central, the bed opposite the window which he managed to bargain into having a brightly colored calico quilt instead a the austere tan covers. The unfinished drawer which held his few pairs of civilian clothes.

"You like guys?"

"And girls," he said, feeling the call showing up. "Girls more. It wasn't rare to be like that in the theater district of Lindblum. Where I'm now is a different story, so if you end up there and see me, don't tell anyone." There was a slight echo to his words as Cornelia faded away to the wall opposite his bed. He knew he couldn't face them tomorrow. He could hide in the forest. Bartz was the only other one who liked using it, and even then, the upper branches were Zidane's domain only.

Dammit, he never should have kissed Squall.

* * *

"You seem discolored, Travers," Wrath said as Zidane filed some paperwork. "Is everything alright?"

Zidane nodded. "I'm fine, sir. I didn't sleep well last night. That is all."

Wrath gave a light chuckle at the news. "I hope it's not because I've been overworking you."

"Not at all, my liege. Although, I have seen very little of this land. I came here fairly soon after I found an identity, after people said I should serve the State. Maybe there is some assignment you wish to have completed elsewhere."

Wrath's uncovered eye twinkled. "Did you have a place in particular you wished to be, Major?"

Zidane nodded. "I have heard that the East is delightfully rural. Such areas relaxed me before. Is there anything that needs doing there?"

"There is an inspection of Eastern Headquarters that is overdue. I have no reason to have been putting it off."

Jackpot. Finally he could feel less alone than just what little company Kuja gave in his head. "When would I be free to do this for you, sir?"

"There's a train which leaves tomorrow. Be sure to figure out any secrets they're keeping from me."

"Thank you, sir," Zidane said with a salute.

_Good job, you're realizing that you're not alone_.

_And I'll see if it means I have allies and not just friends_.

* * *

It was quiet and peaceful in the forest. He chose to lie down in a higher branch basking in the sun. Even if it were but a shared dream, he could feel the warmth of the sun beating down on him. After letting out his secret, he didn't visualize himself in the styles of Alexandria he remembered, but his military uniform, altered in the dream to allow his tail the freedom of movement needed to hide from the rest of them in the tree tops. Currently it was twitching opposite his swinging right leg.

He couldn't wait for tomorrow. He managed to convince the Fuhrer that he, "Zander Travers", should pull the inspection on East. He'd keep his promise to surprise the Colonel. He'd succeed at making him smile.

He heard the soft sound of leaves crackling under boots. Bartz was probably off seeing what he could find. Not like he cared about Zidane. It stopped.

"What are you doing up there?" Bartz asked him. "They're wondering about you."

"No they're not," Zidane said with a moan. He jumped down quite a few branches until he could see Bartz. "They're glad I'm not there. No awkward girly boy kissing them."

"Are you going to do it again?"

Zidane shrugged. "Only you or Squall, if I get pathetically desperate again. And _maybe_ Tidus if he stops changing his hair color. I don't find pale hair attractive. The rest of them are safe. Great, I just made you more uncomfortable around me."

Bartz shook his head. "I was more upset that you lied about being engaged. I was the first one you told."

"I know, it was a dirty trick. And more childish than normal. I was in the lead by a long shot before then."

He fell over, something pulling his tail backwards. "You were not that far in the lead, Zidane."

Zidane grinned. "Oh yeah, prove it." He jumped to his feet and took off.

"No fair! You started first!"

They were pretty much even in the race. Bartz was pretty quick to forgive, but he once said he was like the Wind. Easy come, easy go. Soon, he could see them, in two or three distinct groups, as he got near the exit, but stopped when he saw Squall.

_Dammit. I didn't think of him. He'll kill me in this world, and then I would never be able to dream_.

_Now now, just because __**I**__ no longer dreamed after my Torn World death at your hands doesn't mean that there's a pattern._

"Hey! Guess who I found hiding in the forest!" He heard Bartz shout gleefully. Zidane jumped up a branch, with the trunk between him and the others. "Zidane actually made it here. He was hiding in the forest, but I got him to come out."

"Where is he then?" Cloud asked. Ever the pragmatist. It took him a long time to realize there was more to Cloud than a giant sword and some of the strangest-shaped hair he had seen on a human.

"Hm, must've beat him here. We're pretty well matched, so he'd probably be here soon."

Tap. Tap. Tap. What was making that noise?

"You hear something?" Cecil asked.

"I do," Firion said

Tap. Tap. Thump.

"It's coming from the forest," Squall added.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Maybe we should check," Cecil said. It sounded coy.

Wait, it was his tail. Curse the bloody thing. It has to hide for eighteen hours a day, so it gets its fun out in dreams.

"Found you, Monkey," Squall said calmly. Zidane hadn't even heard him.

"Go on, take it out. Shouldn't have kissed you."

Squall shrugged. "Just don't do it again, all right?"

Zidane stopped. "You're… not mad?"

"Nope, but I never expected you to be dressed in formal military wear."

That earned a light chuckle. "Like I said yesterday, if you find yourself in Amestris and see me, please don't bring up the fact that I'm attracted to pale skinned people with dark hair of either gender. Last time I dated a blonde, it was a disaster."

Next thing Zidane new, he was in the river. Tidus dunked him under the water playfully. "Don't think you're the only person in the world that matters, Zidane."

"With whatever the quest he hinted at going through, he easily could get a swelled head," Cecil said in a light tone.

"We'll just have to remind him," Bartz said with a smirk. He dove into the water followed by many of the other Champions. A respite from his loneliness in the waking world.

Not all seemed to be as fast to forgive as the four he was closest with. The kid tried to pull Terra away when she just wanted to follow through on her usual hesitant conversations with Zidane (although this time it was more hesitant than before, and Firion stood further away from him than usual. Cloud was openly bothered by the new revelation, and when Zidane tried asking him why, Cloud simply said "You don't have to do things like that if you don't want to."

"I wasn't forced. You think anyone can force me to do anything?"

Cloud rolled his eyes. "That's what I'm talking about, kid," Cloud said.

As he prepared to leave, the sense that he was waking tugging gently at him, the warrior pulled him aside. "You have friends in this alien world, correct?"

Zidane nodded. "Not sure if they'd think me a friend, but they wouldn't sell me out for anything less than exactly what they desired the most, with the desired results and no catches."

"Then they are friends," he replied. "If you can explain your situation to them, they would likely help you. As you seem to always forget, you're not alone. Remember that this time, kid."

"Thanks Wolie, I won't."

As he felt himself wake up, the Warrior said "You have friends. They'll help you save the worlds."

The sudden removal of color reminded him of how he was no longer in his home world. He had almost forgotten over the night. Everything was so muted in Amestris. It was one of his many issues with the world.

_You've been here for a total of eighteen months over the past few years and you still can't adapt? Well, now I have a reason for why you grabbed a red coat._

_Shut up Kuja_, Zidane said, falling into the habits that he had to teach himself around the barracks. Make the bed as if it hadn't been slept in before, fold up his sleep clothes, put on shirt, wrap tail around leg, put on trousers, belt, and jacket, check Dagger's condition before placing it in its holster.

He needed to bring a few pairs of clothes with him, he figured as he checked his room. He found his old bag he used to carry his clothes from Panenbool to Central, placing a spare uniform, his civilian outfit of a white button-down shirt, a bright blue vest (a reminder of Gaia. He refused to forget his friends back home.), a pair of dark brown trousers, and his well-worn leather coat. As he continued his morning routine, he finished packing all the bits of his life he needed.

The Fuhrer expected him to be on the first train in the morning, so he'd go then. It was only an hour until daybreak, and if he remembered the timetable he nicked from the station the other day as he passed by, the first train was two hours after sunrise.

He'd leave after he ate breakfast.


	6. The Hunting's Grim For The Innocent Eyes

"Sir," Hawkeye entered Mustang's office. "The Fuhrer has issued an inspection of East's proceedings."

Mustang sighed. "Just great. He doesn't trust me. No wonder I ended up saddled here." He started arranging his desk for the files he figured were more important to the higher-ups.

"There's another thing you need to know, Sir." She said, as he got up and rearranged the chairs. "The man he sent… it's…"

"Colonel! Great to see you again!" Came a voice from the doorway.

"Major Travers," Mustang said stiffly. It took everything he had to remind himself that Travers, no matter the resemblance, was not Fullmetal. He was a bit taller for one, but only a bit.

Travers walked over to a chair, setting a heavy case on one of the chairs. He idly wondered how Travers was capable of carrying such a case. "So this is East? Pretty nice. Not quite what I expected when I heard 'Rural,' though."

Mustang took a breath. "East City is one of the few places in this part of Amestris that isn't. I suppose you would like to see several of the cities?"

"Here's fine. Maybe you can just show me a nice bar where I can buy you a drink after-hours, Colonel Mustang."

He had no idea how Travers managed to get his position in the inner-circle of the Fuhrer. His decorum was greatly lacking. Hell, he jumped at becoming a state alchemist when he was old enough, somehow passing the test. Despite using the polite term "Colonel" for Mustang, he acted as if he were an old friend. _He's almost like… No. He left two years ago._

"I don't think so, Travers, although thank you for asking once."

"Then maybe we could have some private time to talk, door closed." Travers seemed pretty serious at that moment.

He looked at Hawkeye and nodded. Hawkeye nodded back and left the room closing the door.

"I was sent here by Fuhrer Bradley because he believes you failed to file an occurrence two years ago."

"The burst of energy?" Mustang asked. Travers nodded. "The lieutenant general didn't feel that it was important. Besides, even here, there was barely any difference in the shift. How would he know even in Central?"

Travers smirked. "Someone who was there told him."

"Fullmetal! No, even he isn't that close. Who could it be?" Travers's smirk turned very smug.

"Myself, of course." He flicked his tied-back hair over a shoulder at that, showing off the deep blue feathers in his hair tie. Roy's first thought upon the notice was wondering how the Fuhrer's assistant could get away with that long of hair, but also show it so blatantly using the feathers. The second was how a boy from a small town in the west would know anything about east. "Although I did try to leave out the fact that it brought an off-worlder here for six months. It would be more incriminating to me than you."

"He found out."

Travers clapped his hands together and reached for his gun, pulling it out. It sparked near the barrel as he drew it out. Mustang dove under the desk, yet there failed to be a bang. He looked up, noticing that it no longer was – just – a gun. It had a long blade underneath in a strange shape. It was a dagger as well, but not of a shape for normal stabbing. It had a long tip underneath the end of the barrel ideal for piercing, while all the edges seemed ideal for slashing.

"He tricked me, Colonel. I have no choice but to serve him." Travers looked serious at the moment. He wasn't angry at Roy, he was angry at himself. He also didn't shy away from making eye contact for once, and with how close the two were, he could see the unnaturally brightly colored eyes he had seen once before.

"Z-Zidane!"

Travers – Zidane – smiled gaily. "I'm surprised it took you so long to figure it out, Colonel. I could barely control myself when I got here. Or the few other times we met." He transmuted his dagger-gun back to its original shape, putting it back in the holster.

"So, about that drink you offered to buy me? Mind also getting one for Hawkeye."

Zidane gave an airy bow and a chuckle. "It'd be my pleasure Colonel."

* * *

"So your hair," Riza said calmly. "It was not quite as pale or long when you were last here."

"A gift from my mentor, along with these extra few inches." Roy wasn't surprised by Zidane's riddling talk. He had become part of a circle he didn't want to be part of, and needed to watch his words. _He and Kuja are two souls in the same body. Even if it's mostly Zidane, there were a few changes to accommodate the new soul._ "At least I'm not as showy or vain as my mentor was. I'm still mostly me." _Explain your choice of a few feathers in your hair tie, Tribal._ "So what of you, Colonel? Anything interesting in East?"

Roy smirked. "Nothing much. Fullmetal's been around trying to find the Philosopher's Stone. A wild goose chase."

"Not quite," Zidane said, swirling the drink in his cup lazily. "But if he ever finds out how to get one, I don't think he would have what it takes."

"You know?" Hawkeye said surprised.

He opened his eyes wide in shock. "Forget I said that."

"What are you not telling me, Major Travers?"

Zidane looked away. "I have been ordered to remain silent on the matter by one who outranks you. Should Fullmetal ask, I am of no help."

"Is there any way you can help?"

"Should the Fuhrer suffer a failure of existence, I am to take his place. I'm more than willing to submit the position to you, Colonel."

"That seems privileged," Roy said, taking a sip of his drink.

"The news itself? Not really. It's common knowledge in Central Command."

Hawkeye looked at him. "But why would he choose you?"

Zidane shrugged idly. "Beats me," he said, tail choosing to free itself from the leg of the stool he sat on and twitch at around waist level. No one around them seemed to notice its existence. It seemed there was something that he was holding back. Strange how no one seemed to notice it. "So, what's the news here in east?"

"We've told you," Roy said. "Fullmetal's found a promising lead about the Philosopher's Stone."

"In East?" he asked, amused.

"A small town north and east of here, Liore."

Zidane nodded passively. "Glad he's there. Some intel gave hints that something dangerous was going on there. Some sort of cult. Could've been dangerous."

"I think I passed that information on to Central," Riza said. "Do be careful about how casually you speak of such matters."

"Yes Miss Riza," he said with a grin on his face, the alcohol starting to affect him. She blushed a bit at his old name for her. "I just called you Miss Riza, didn't I? I don't know. It's kind of hard to think of you as anything but, even now."

Roy shot a nervous look at Zidane.

"I'm not gonna take her away from you, not intentionally. Don't like blondes." He babbled incoherently, likely in his old language for a moment.

"Pardon?" Riza asked.

"I said that I made a promise to Garnet. Basically promised her that I'd love no one else as much as her. I don't mind that. I can still pretend that I had said yes when she proposed."

"Is Garnet the lover you spoke of last time?"

Zidane nodded. "What about you Miss Riza, find your special someone? Oh yeah, you found him long ago."

Riza shot him a dirty look, Roy was curious as to what he spoke of.

"Zidane, you made a statement earlier, that you'd give me the position of Fuhrer if you got it."

He looked at him, his foreign pupils narrow and darting around unfocused. "I'll tell you when we see Fullmetal. I'm not gonna be like the Fuhrer. I'm going to be thorough, just not report everything."

"We should get you a room," Riza said calmly standing up. She dug through her wallet and put a few Thousand-cen bills down before helping Zidane up to his feet and putting the coat he wore over his shoulders.

* * *

"And Liore?" Mustang asked calmly.

"The stone was fake," Ed replied.

Roy nodded. "And you would know because?"

"It broke," Ed said loudly, banging the table. "It broke right in front of me. A real philosopher's stone wouldn't break, you know."

"Nonetheless, you did a good thing, Fullmetal, helping the citizens understand that his miracles were anything but. I'll see if I can send some units out to…"

"Colonel! Thanks for letting me treat you and the Lieutenant last night." Zidane ran into the room opening the doors, giving his usual almost-convincing broad smile.

"Major, I am currently busy."

Zidane's smile relaxed to a more natural look. "I'm sorry Colonel, but last I checked, I was sent here for an inspection, and I have quite a bit I can reveal to the Fuhrer he might want to know."

"You lied to me yesterday about that? All so you can get me to agree to your constant wheedling of buying me a drink?"

"Not just that," Zidane said.

Ed and Al looked confused.

"Colonel," Ed said calmly. "Who is this?"

Mustang composed himself with a cough. "Fullmetal, this is Major Alexander Travers, known as the Axiom Alchemist."

Zidane took Ed's hand readily. "Pleasure to meet you Fullmetal. I think I saw you on a train to Central once, a year or so ago? You can just call me Zander if you want. You're much taller than I expected, what with all the disappointment that Mustang has said about things." Mustang would remember Ed's face that moment for a long time. He was annoyed, but only a touch. He was more shocked than annoyed.

"Nice meeting you too, Travers," Ed said uncertainly. "This is my younger brother, Alphonse."

Zidane changed Ed's hand for Al's. "Yet another alchemist I have heard much talk of. Al, was it? You have always been at the side of your brother performing nearly as many great feats as him. I was always jealous that your brother nabbed the title of 'Youngest State Alchemist' before me. Especially given that I'm supposed to be some sort of Alchemy prodigy, given my name and everything."

"Just how old are you, Travers?" Ed said, some form of realization dawning on his face.

Zidane shrugged. "I'm nineteen. Just turned it about a week ago, in fact."

Ed looked at him slyly. "I thought you said you weren't going to be back."

"No use pretending, is there? You're faster on the uptake than the Colonel. And I said I hated choosing between two sets of friends. Aren't you glad I picked my little brothers over my girlfriend?" He gave Ed a hug.

Ed managed a few choice words as he struggled out of the grip, causing Zidane to chuckle a bit.

"Be careful about that language," he said. "I might take it as a challenge."

"Very funny," Ed said. "Give me the real reason you're back."

Zidane sat himself down. "Let's say… I don't know… you know someone is going to die when transmuting a human, that the price _it_ will take is the body of the alchemist. And let's say the alchemist is someone you care for. What would you do?"

"Try to stop them!" Ed said immediately. "But, how did you know about it?"

"Think, how did I leave Amestris?"

"Through the…"

Zidane nodded. "My situation is something like that. I received some form of foreknowledge. I can't quite explain it, but I was only capable of choosing either your world or my world."

"But your lover…" Al said, uncertain of how to continue the statement.

"My friends are fine, I've just kept them from gaining a few scars by removing myself from their lives. Instead, I know I can help this world from dying. I'd almost say I got a bargain."

Ed sat down across from Zidane. "Tell me what you know."

"I don't know much," Zidane said. "Only bits and pieces. I guess they're the future. Seven enemies, but I am incapable of pointing them out on the street." Roy sensed Zidane was lying again. But whoever he knew as an enemy was likely holding him in some sort of situation. He tried to fight against them before and lost. "And look for the truth within the truth. Understanding those words is key to victory."

"The truth within…"

"What does that mean."

He stood up and moved to the door. "I can't tell you. _It_ won't let me. I can't be a lone hero in this world. The natives must save their home."

* * *

Zidane cursed as he ran through the city. The news of the Alchemist Killer had come after Ed had run off. It seemed to always work the same way in literature when one travelled in time. Step on a bug that was supposed to live, even just a second longer, and Goblins inherited the earth. He promised himself that he'd try to keep Ed alive until the Promised Day, at the very least.

He laughed at that thought. He was trying to keep Ed alive so that he could die.

Rain started pouring lightly, picking up in speed over the next few minutes. Zidane tried to remember the structure of automail. Did it have iron in it? At what amount? Ed and Al would rust if there was too much in the alloy?

Zidane laughed a bit more. That girl they knew, she wouldn't let them. It seemed that was all he had left of his good humor, laughing at the little ironies and inconsistencies of life. A loud clash of thunder startled him, thinking he fell upon the killer, only to realize it was something completely natural.

"After all this, I'm taking the Colonel out for another pint," he said to no one in particular. "A nice pint at that. He could pay for himself this time though."

The word "worthless" came to his mind as he thought about Roy, even if he considered himself just as worthless.

A blast came from a nearby alley. Zidane turned just in time to see Al's torso separated from his arms and legs. The alchemist killer followed a short human shape that lacked an arm into a more open area.

"Al," Zidane said. "You okay?"

"Oh Z – Major Travers. You're here."

Zidane gave a wry smile. "I know." We should fix you.

"No! Don't!" Al said with a scream.

Zidane moved back.

"I mean, It's kind of a delicate procedure, and I'd rather someone who knew the suit fix it."

"Thanks, then," Zidane said. "I'll let the clean-up crew know to get as much of the scraps as possible."

Another explosion sounded. Zidane turned out of the alley and saw what had happened.

"It should be soon."

* * *

"Another world where I don't belong," a female said, pulling her hood closer over her face. "Why do so many worlds share the same basic shape to the exclusion of others."

"Be nice, yours wasn't like that. And you wouldn't be too odd where I lived either."

"Yeah, underground where all the freaks live."

"I said be nice, dear."

A decidedly inhuman hand smacked him. "Don't call me that."

"Well, another chimera," a new voice said. The two turned around, studying the dark-haired man in a fur-lined black coat. "You aren't that uncommon miss." The man offered his hand. She gave her hand for a handshake nervously, not expecting the kiss that he gave it only seconds later.

"I don't see any others," her partner said. "Where are they?"

"Humans fear what they do not understand. They fail to understand those who are like them yet unlike them, humanoid chimera, no matter how well-disguised." The strange man's eyes fell on the inhuman one's partner.

"I-I'm not…"

"The same kind of chimera as me," the woman finished. "He is a hawk chimera."

The man looked at her incredulously. He knew she shot a glare back at him.

"Didn't know they managed to get that advanced," the man said in appreciation. "What would you two say, if I told you there was a safe haven for those like you. I… let's say I run it. You will be fed, clothed, have your needs cared for, and better yet, be given socialization. What would you say to my offer?"

"We'll take it," the woman said. "As long as it lacks a catch."

"You'll do small errands for me some time. Nothing big though. A little information gathering here, some bits of theft there. It's not exactly legal."

The man was wary at first, but he nodded. "No murder."

"Fine, I won't order you on those missions. Follow me." The strange man turned around and started walking through the crowd. "To the Devil's Nest."


	7. But Faith is Colors

**Sorry for the long wait, I was hoping that the side story EMoL would have gotten attention as well, but I guess I was wrong, and I'm a bit blocked on it too, so I decided to screw it and post this instead. I'm hoping that I did an okay job of writing this. Once again, it looks like I over-estimated. As it is, I'd probably get only three more chapters if I don't write more. However, it should be closer to five or six more if I manage to extend the scenes I need to (With three being focused on the Promised Day)**

**Also, finals are over, so I should have more free time to work on those action-ish chapters. Also, I was wondering if anyone would be interested in alternate endings. I have one almost-completely written that's more drama than the action one I have here, and there's another that sometimes pops up that's mostly humor. However, neither fit with this, and were written more for the sake of fun and practicing writing. I also am not very fond of the crack one. If you're interested, you can review or send me a PM, thank you.**

* * *

"Wish I could have stayed longer," Zidane said with a smile as he boarded the train. "But you know how Ed and I get when you get both of us in the same room for too long."

Mustang gave a slight smile. "I thought you got over that."

"We did, mostly, but still, I guess it's better that he doesn't have me when he comes back to East, you know? I'll see you… some other time, right?"

"Of course. My assessment is in a few months. How did your first assessment go?"

"Long story, I'll tell you when you come! See you!" Zidane waved, partially out of the train as it pulled out of East Station, careful to fully enter before he hit a post, if any were too close to the rails.

* * *

"So how was East?" Bradley asked politely.

Zidane smiled as he moved a few files into a cabinet after checking over the readings. "It was great, my liege. A change of scenery was just what the Doctor ordered. Thanks for trusting me."

"Did you find out anything in particular?"

Zidane gave a smile. "Sorry, but I didn't. Everything was in order, as far as I could tell. I even checked in places they didn't cover."

Bradley looked at him with cautious understanding. "You certain of that?"

"Positive, my liege."

Bradley shrugged. "Oh well."

That was it? An "Oh well"?

"But I have remembered something, Travers."

"Yes sir?" Zidane asked, straightening up and giving a salute.

Bradley stood up. "East was not the only command center which was due for inspection. I'm heading to South for a week soon, and I was wondering if you could accompany me."

Zidane saluted again. "It would be an honor."

* * *

Soon wasn't soon enough. It had been two weeks since the Fuhrer's remark. Whenever he had seemed ready, new work came up.

And a funeral.

That man Zidane had met once, Hughes, died trying to protect the military. He felt terrible, not because someone he knew had been killed, or that he knew who the real killer was just by accident, but because he couldn't truly feel sad. He didn't know the man. They had only met once. He looked around at those who attended. Riza and Roy – Lieutenant Hawkeye and Colonel Mustang, he reminded himself, had come.

While both were trying to stay composed, it was clear the two had a past with the man.

The man left behind his wife and young daughter. They had walked in the front of the procession, but they were being subtly pushed away as the coffin was lowered into the ground. The daughter didn't have any qualms trying to rush back as he was buried, mentioning her father's work.

Wrath tried to keep himself composed, just as the Colonel and Lieutenant had to, but his restraint was from defacing the daughter of the posthumous Brigadier General during a somber time.

All the emotion around him, no matter how restrained, made him feel sick he couldn't find any emotion for this man that was worth having. He refused to pity Brigadier General Hughes, as that lessened his attempt to be a hero. He couldn't focus on tomorrow, as he'd leave for South and its surrounding areas, cheapening the event. He settled on depression, not for the man who wanted to help, but for himself, who couldn't compose himself properly.

* * *

"Oi, Bido," Greed said as Bido turned to leave.

"Yes, Master Greed?" Bido asked expectantly.

Greed grinned. "Take the new girl with you. I think she wishes she could get out more."

"Not without me," The new man said.

The woman he was next to shot a look at him. "I'll be fine, you worry wart." She lifted her claw-like hand. "I can defend myself, you know." She walked over to Bido. "Show me the way to this amazing development, Lizard-boy."

* * *

"Hello there," Al heard a deep female voice say. It had a bit of an accent that he couldn't place, piquing his curiosity. He turned around, seeing a tall, hooded woman in front of him. Her clothes looked as if they belonged in another time, with her bright red dress – or maybe it was a coat – surrounding her loosely.

"Who are you?" He asked.

She smiled. It didn't look human, but that could have been the shadow of her hood disguising it. "My name doesn't matter, Alphonse Elric. What matters is that I have – let's call him a client – who seems very interested in you."

"H-how do you know my name?" Al placed himself in a position ready to fight her, or defend against attack.

"An associate overheard your name and predicament. I've been sent here to bring you, Alphonse."

Al shook his head. "I'm not going, ma'am. I'm sorry, but I won't."

She shrugged. "Very well, Alphonse. But if you want to understand your predicament – and even find a way to reverse it – then just come to this place." She turned around, tossing a small square over her shoulder. Her hand didn't look human, and as she walked away, he saw a long rodent-like tail swing opposite her stride.

He bent down and picked up the square. It was a matchbox, like the kinds he saw in bars and inns. It had the name on it. _The Devil's Nest_.

* * *

"What luck," Wrath said with a grin. "Finding a place outside the law during a general inspection. Travers."

Zidane jumped to attention. "Sir!"

"How many men do you think we should send in as a strike squad?"

He wasn't certain if it was memory or simply imagination, but he could briefly smell blood and hear gunshots. Not all of the Chimera were beyond redemption, certainly. He could let them live.

"Two," Zidane said.

"Two squads? Are you certain?"

"Two men. You and me. We can take them easily. Besides, didn't we hear Fullmetal was there?"

Wrath nodded. "I like your thinking, Axiom. You sure you can do it though? It would be your first fight."

Zidane smiled. "Don't worry, I'm pretty certain I'll be good on my own. I have Dagger." He patted where he kept his gun. "And I got a lot of practice with her at the range. Why would it be any different in this scenario? I mean, they don't have guns on them."

"Very good. You all, stand guard!"

"Yes sir!"

Zidane ran in with Wrath and split as fast as he could. Wrath likely had a specific target in mind. Zidane just wanted to get Ed, Al, and Mrs. Curtis out. Safely.

_Good luck._

_

* * *

_

"One more!" Ed said as he knocked out another chimera. He found it strange that this one, a tall blond male with long hair, chose to use a weapon – a spear – instead of taking on an animalistic form, but he still was a pushover, despite his advantage. Ed just called his own spear to fight against him.

"You sure about this, Ed?" Izumi Curtis asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, they're still human. And probably didn't do anything wrong intentionally. Too many are too thick to know right from wrong anyway."

The last chimera stood up weakly and looked him in the eye. He was definitely different. He had a calmer disposition.

"I only wish to find one other. It seems like we are no longer safe here."

Ed looked at him oddly.

"We agreed to work for him to be safe. We have no devotion to him. I'll be free then."

Ed looked at Izumi. Izumi nodded at him. Ed returned his gaze to the man and did the same. The man gave a smile.

"Thank you."

* * *

_Oh, don't worry about me, my liege. I'll be just fine on this abomination hunt. We won't need backup. Don't you wish you asked for it now?_

_Shut up Kuja._ Zidane looked around, seeing the four chimera who pushed him into a corner. _I can still handle it_.

"Tch, just a kid who got caught up in this thing."

"The military's just taking them younger and younger these days, there's even a kid who was 12 when he joined."

Zidane reached for Dagger, hoping what little contact his two hands he could manage without telegraphing his moves was enough to start the transmutation into his favored hybrid weapon.

"He's here too," Zidane said, pulling his gun out, relaxing a bit as he felt the energy leap from his hand to the pistol, the comforting feel of it molding to a melee weapon additionally. "We're here to get him, but I don't think there's much to worry about, here."

"You liar!" He heard a female voice say. "Back off from this kid you guys, this idiot's mine!"

Zidane jumped over the broader man's head. "Oh, someone wants to face Axiom one-on-one. You were better off with your friends. I've stopped worrying about my opponent's sex these days."

"I don't know who Axiom is," The woman said, walking towards him. She was tall, but wore a hood with a long, supported brim over her face, with the bottom covering her mouth. "I'm going to fight Zidane Tribal."

_That's not good_.

_Don't need to tell me twice, Kuja._

"I don't know who you speak of, lady."

The woman drew out a long spear he vaguely recognized as resembling an old friend's.

"You know damn well who I speak of Zidane! I thought you were marrying Garnet!"

She pulled the hood off, revealing her familiar features.

"Freya, you know this brat?"

She punched Zidane with her free hand. "Too well."

"My lovely dame Crescent, whom I think of as an older sister and is always right in her judgment, mind helping me incapacitate-but-not-kill these idiots?"

Freya glared at him. "I'm not forgiving you yet for walking out on Garnet. But that sounds like a good idea. She dug her spear ahead of her, vaulting a kick into the two before he had a chance to face either of them.

He ran over to join her, trying to make the fight fairer. He wasn't always for fair fights, but when it was unfair in his opponent's direction, then he wanted one. Freya was a tremendous help in knocking out the chimera, although both seemed to express regret at some physical damage.

"I don't think that one's going to ever be able to use that arm again," Freya had said at the end of the fight.

"I said incapacitate, I never said I wanted it to be temporary."

He found himself on the receiving end of another punch as Freya set her spear down to one side. "Now can I get an answer from you? I told you to give Garnet an answer when I won."

Zidane shrugged. "And I gave her one."

"I wonder how she felt when she woke up one day and found you weren't there."

"I told her no. I had plans for this first."

He found himself on the wrong end of a third punch and a powerful sweeping kick knocking him off his feet.

"You planned on killing people?"

"I planned on saving Gaia. I just happened to prevent Terra from existing as a war machine in the process."

The look in Freya's eyes said everything.

"And every day, I wish I hadn't let myself remember everything I did so that I could still be with Dagger."

She nodded with acceptance. "I know you wouldn't give me a direct lie." She offered a hand out to him, letting him stand up again.

He picked up Dagger, off to one side of the floor. "So what can I do with you, Freya? My superior… isn't very fond of those unlike him. I can't even give indirect lies to him."

"I can run. We can meet up later." She went to where she had lay her spear and moved to the door when Zidane saw a tall blond man enter, carrying a spear nearly identical to Freya's

"Freya, dear, you found the monkey you wanted?" He remembered the man's voice, from the Festival of the Hunt right after he returned. He was one of the competitors. The man who had angered Freya before his last conversation with her, and the one who tried to spy on his testimony to Garnet.

"Don't you dare call me dear again, Highwind," Freya said, lashing out at the newcomer. "I came as an equal, not a subordinate."

Highwind laughed. "You were pretty taken with me before, when you discovered that powerful lance was a duplicate of my own."

"Freya, mind introducing me to him?"

The man walked over to him. "Ah, so this is the monkey you mentioned. Looks pretty human to me. Ah, silly me, I'm Kain."

"Zidane," he replied. "I've seen you before, at the festival. Right before Freya disappeared."

Kain looked at him. "Ah, yes, they gave you a title. Prince, I think."

"Prince Consort." He puffed up his chest in a showy fashion.

"You're not a Prince Consort," Freya muttered darkly. "You ran out on Garnet."

Zidane dusted himself off and headed to the door. "You ran out on Fratley, and got yourself a new boyfriend. I've barely even flirted. I say I'm more in the right."

"I did not run out on Fratley, he left me first. For those idiot gigglers who followed that psychotic man around."

"The man wasn't that bad, he managed to help me understand the predicament I was in."

"He hasn't helped us at all after that!"

"Axiom? Where are you?" Zidane froze at hearing Wrath's voice.

"Hide," He said, running out and closing the door behind him. He tried sealing it so it wouldn't open. Hopefully it would deter wrath long enough to at least have Freya keep herself from being so easily spotted.

"My liege," He said pleasantly. "How nice of you to come. I've taken care of this part. No more chimeras are attacking."

"Hopefully you don't mean that you've told them to plead asylum."

Zidane laughed nervously, hoping Wrath took it in a different fashion. "Why would I do that? They're abominations."

Wrath glared at him. Something wasn't right when it came to him and chimeras. "Be careful what you call abominations, you are one as well."

_Maybe I should convince him. I seem to share his pattern of thought_.

_I'd like to see you try, Kuja, since I'm getting nowhere._

Zidane released his hold on his body, letting Kuja embrace it.

"I'm a completely different kind of abomination, my liege," Kuja said, giving a formal bow. "I think of them as a lower sort."

Wrath nodded idly. "Very well, Travers. Any news?"

"It seems that the Elric brothers and their teacher were not the only ones who were captured," Kuja said. He carefully undid Zidane's transmutation and opened the door. "Sir, Miss, are you fine?"

"Just fine!" Kain said with a smile. "Thank you sir for rescuing us from these evil monsters."

He could almost hear Freya rolling her eyes. She had managed to adjust her hood and a newly-added cloak.

"What about you, ma'am?" Bradley asked.

"I… I am a chimera," Freya said. "Against my will. Some men abducted me and forced me into this state. Then this other man… he called himself Greed, he… he kidnapped my friend here and forced me to work for him. I never did anything willingly."

_She's good_, Kuja touched in awe.

_Of course she is. She's been a friend of mine for years, and learned from the best on how to improvise these things._

"Very well," Bradley said. "I am guessing you don't have a place to live, ma'am?"

Freya shook her head. "I lived with my friend. He doesn't care that I'm a mutant, but Greed destroyed his house."

"Very well. Travers."

Zidane took back over his body. "Yes, sir?"

"When we return to Central, give these two poor survivors a home. Cost is no object."

"Yes sir."

Things kept on looking better for Zidane. Roy had issues with the highest ranks of the military since before he knew Ed. Freya's disappearance wasn't due to death, but something she and her not-boyfriend couldn't explain well. If he had Garnet then life would have been perfect.


	8. Standing At The Gate

**Here we go. This chapter plus the next one or two are going to be mostly fluffy filler-ish, although it's some of the earliest scenes I wrote/storyboarded, and like our dear Hiromu Arakawa, I try to not drop random things, and the developments in this chapter were heavily worked to give each character a place in the Promised Day (and trust me, I struggled with that some and nearly decided against a major leap no matter how much I wanted it, just because I couldn't fit it in at first.) I hope it isn't too bothersome.**

**Also, I keep the whole story in the same document and just copy/paste the chapters into new documents before I post, and currently, we're on page 62 of 106, although the latter number will hopefully grow by at least 5 or 10 as I fill out the promised day and exactly one scene before it.  
**

"You have a visitor, Colonel," Hawkeye said calmly at her desk.

"Already?" Roy asked. "I was just transferred."

Hawkeye looked at a different sheet of paper. "Word travels fast, it seems. He was very adamant about visiting you."

Roy nodded and went into his new office for the first time, finding someone holding a bouquet of flowers in front of him.

"My condolences, Roy," Zi – Travers said with a polite smile. "I understand the feeling of someone losing a close friend. It is not a pain I would wish any to have to suffer through alone."

Roy shot him a glare. "Just what are you doing here, Travers?" He wasn't certain if any who didn't know were nearby, it was best to keep to his "official" name.

"Why thank you Zander," Travers said, adopting a deeper tone. A pale imitation of Roy's own voice, yet recognizable enough that if he hadn't known his own voice, it _might_ have tricked someone. "So sweet of you to drop by for a social visit, although I admit I am very busy at the time, what with things such as unpacking the boxes with my old stuff. Oh, what is this? You already did it, and just like it was in East, too. What a lovely memory you have."

Roy looked at his desk, and true to Axiom's bitter sarcasm, it was neatly arranged. "That wasn't the first item of business on my list, Axiom, and I would never call you by your given name in a formal environment. But… thank you for trying to help a bit."

Travers grinned. "No problem, Flame. I did have other reasons for showing up, technically." He shoved the bouquet of flowers into Roy's hands and took a seat in the chair behind the desk.

"I recall that being my spot," Roy said, tossing the flowers to one side. "Not yours, Axiom."

Zidane, for he wasn't even pretending to keep up some sort of formality, stood up and saluted. "Yes sir, of course sir!" He walked around the desk and draped himself in one of the chairs opposite his spot. Times like this he could see the slight influence of Kuja in the off-worlder.

Roy sat down in his new office chair. "It's very kind of you to be concerned, Zidane," he said, emphasizing the real name. He felt that the only ones who could hear what was going on were himself and Zidane. "However, I don't need you to replace Hughes. We had a very specific arrangement and friendship that I don't think can be interchanged with another."

Zidane nodded. "I'm not trying to, Colonel. I'm just being myself." He sighed. "I don't have many chances to be myself these days, even with some recent developments."

"Recent developments?" Roy asked.

"I can talk about it later."

"Right now, this nature of yours is too close to his. I don't want you calling me late in the evening saying that the Military is in danger before dying."

"It is," Zidane said. "I don't need a phone and a poignant death scene to tell you that."

"It…"

"There's something I want to tell you and Ri- Lieutenant Hawkeye," he said, changing the topic. "You're the only two I can trust with this information."

Roy nodded. "Very well." He walked over to the door and requested Hawkeye to enter. She did so, picking up the bouquet and setting it on her lap as she sat in the chair next to Zidane's.

"I… don't want Fullmetal discovering this, Colonel, Lieutenant. It's something kind of private."

"Then why tell us?" Hawkeye asked in her direct manner.

Zidane forced a smile. "Last time I tried to keep something this big to myself, it blew up in my face. I put a lot of thought into it, and as much as I found someone else more suitable, she's currently with someone who I'm not sure I trust just yet, and anything I tell her can easily be overheard by this other person."

He took a deep breath. "You know how when I first showed up in East, everyone who caught a glimpse of me thought I was Fullmetal?"

He heard both respond in the affirmative after a pause.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hawkeye asked.

"They were more right that everyone thought. Even Kuja and I were surprised when we pieced it together."

There was another pause, one of the statement sinking in.

"I'm the reincarnation of Ed," he said plainly.

"I understood that!" Roy shouted. "But then how did you get here? There's no such thing as time travel."

"Well, it happened to me, so it has to exist, but there were so many variables in the original equation that it likely can't be replicated and proven."

Hawkeye looked at him. Zidane wasn't one for serious scientific talk. The curve of his lips at the response showed that Kuja likely took over for the explanation, and released him.

"Fine," Zidane said. "I… might not be him, but there's some kind of – thing, I don't know what to call it – between us in such a way that I can see the future, or at least the future as it was to be before I ended up in East. On my way back home, I was given the chance to save this world. And I want to. I just tied up my few loose ends back home, and came back here to stop the nasty what-is-to-come from happening."

"You've told me before, in general terms," Roy said. "But I had no idea that by your metaphor of a human transmutation, you meant…"

"The whole of Amestris?"

Roy nodded.

"I understand, but like I said, keep this from Fullmetal. I don't think he'd react in a calm, collected manner." He stood up from his chair. "Also, the Fuhrer says hello and welcome. He wanted me to bring a melon, but I thought those flowers were nicer. I'll see you again when the Fuhrer sends me."

* * *

"So what do you think?" Zidane said, running through the doors of the row house he purchased barely even fourty-eight hours before. "Not a bad place?"

Freya smiled. "It wouldn't be, if you learned to knock once in a while. It's not that foreign to you."

"I used to live in a grand suite in one of the finest castles that still stood," Kain said. "I'm not used to something so private from the others."

Freya and Zidane said "get over it" at the same time.

"Oh, I told a few of my friends about this place, since I might not always be able to come over."

Kain tensed and looked at Freya. "They know about her, right?"

"I warned them that if they made any rude comments using the word Chimera, she would deal with them."

Kain looked confused. "We've been calling ourselves that word for the past five weeks."

"It's a rude word for those who don't follow the so-called original template of sapients," Freya said. "Here, it seems to simply mean one who is human who was experimented on in such a manner to end up with animal-like traits." She scoffed. "Seems the two are confused about what their chimeras are."

Zidane grinned. "Come, come, Freya. I'm the only one who fits the latter definition that ever considered himself truly Gaian."

She shook her head. "I just hope you and your friends don't make a habit of spending too much time here."

"I know, we're being watched. But admitting your presence was the only way to keep you two alive. Even if there isn't a home to return to, you deserve to see other places."

Freya nodded. "I have. This is our fifth world. Maybe I should tell you about our adventures."

Zidane imitated the gesture. "That would be wonderful."

As Freya and Kain told Zidane about some of their adventures, including the whole version of how they met and left Gaia, Riza and Roy came in and introduced themselves. Freya seemed to instantly find a bond with Riza, likely for the same reason Zidane did back when he first met her as well. He had heard that Freya had become a dear friend to Beatrix in the days after she helped save Garnet.

Dagger… that was someone he had thought he managed to forget, between his goal of saving the worlds, re-befriending Roy and Riza, and the occasional girl he hit on when drunk and upset.

_It's sad, isn't it?_ Kuja touched. _In trying to save the world, you erased your true love, at least as you knew her._

Zidane shook his head visibly, catching the attention of his friends. _She's happier with that obnoxious Treno noble who she grew up with and can see past the flaws of or original holder of the summon for Ifrit than she is with me._

"Are you alright, Zidane?" Freya asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, a little sick. I'm going to head back to the barracks and get some rest, if that's okay."

Kain gave a smile. "That's just fine with us."

Freya paused a moment before she nodded. "I wish you could consider this your home as well, since then you can remember that you're not alone."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Freya," he said. "I just…"

"I understand."

When he managed to get into his room, he cried for the first time in a long time.

* * *

Garnet hated it. There was no way she could convince herself that she was _not_ so deeply in love with Zidane that the rest of the world didn't matter to her.

"For the greater good" he had told her when she asked him to marry her. He had to leave "for the greater good," yet refused to define what this good was, and why he had to leave her.

Who was she thinking of again? There was someone there, she loved him deeply, but couldn't remember who it was.

Zidane, that's his name. Blond hair, green eyes dancing with mirth and light mischief. That tail. The tail he pretended he had no control over when his mischief took a turn for the romantic, or even sexual. A thief, an actor, a lover, a hero.

"You'll have to forget me," he said on his last day in Gaia. She remembered they were standing where the Iifa tree had been. "Even if you don't want to."

She tried wanting to, and it didn't work, beyond a momentary loss of his face, name, and nature. Is that what he meant by her having to forget him? Right now it was so simple, although she was yet to forget that she loved him – no – that she _loves_ him.

The moments were few, and thankfully still far between. During one, she thought she found herself at Madain Sari, watching Eiko as her family was elsewhere. Both of their families. In another, she found her mother, although a widow, just as she had been before Kuja had invaded their lives. Even then, she still managed to bring herself back by focusing on her strange longing for something that wasn't there, but felt there should be.

The others she spoke to managed to forget much easier, wondering why she longed for a side character in one of Lord Avon's plays. The stranger from the Forgotten Continent who made a mess of propriety.

She ended up running away again, dressed in the clothes of a maid, flying a small airship to the Outer Continent. She wasn't certain she could see the Black Mage Village any longer. It wasn't just him that was forgotten, but the whole world was starting to be devoid of Terra's influence. She landed where she could still see the collapsed roots of the Iifa Tree. It appeared much harder to be erased by the whatever-it-is that Zidane warned her of.

She retraced the last walk she and the others had taken with him, running her hand along the roots she remembered walking next to. She started climbing one, the highest of them. That was where Zidane had left her. Where he had left everyone and erased himself, "for the greater good." She stood where he was, and remembered what he did last, clasped his hands together, and placed them on the root. She found herself imitating him. It didn't work. He still wasn't there.

_Bring me to him, if you can't bring him to me_, she pleaded to the gods, the eidolons, whatever higher powers held her fate separate from his. She repeated the action, faster and stronger, barely aware of the crack when the hands went together, or the lingering sting as they separated and forced onto the root. _If I can't even get that, then I don't want to live, recalling him as only a shadow, if even that._

"You're that desperate, aren't you?" A legion of voices said. "I feared as much when he let the people of the world he called home forget him."

She opened her eyes. She was no longer at the Iifa tree. Her new location could barely be considered one. It was void of anything she could honestly call light, and felt as if she stood on air, like the _creature_ across from her. The only solid thing she knew for certain about was a large gate.

"The world is willing to forget him," She said. "I'm not. I'm the only one who won't forget him. Where is he?"

The thing grinned at her. "He's far away in space and long ago in time. It was thousands of years prior to your time."

She looked at the thing. "Bring me to him. I'm not letting him do this to me. I don't want to forget him."

"There's a price, young queen. Even royalty is not exempt from paying the toll to get through the gate. I doubt even Gods can pass through it without giving something fundamentally them up."

Garnet held her ground. "Name it. I'll give you whatever you wish."

"The cost is something you hold dear to yourself," it said, pointing at her. "It's something which represents who you are and your worth as a person."

"I don't care," she said, feeling the beginnings of trance surround her. She forced herself to calm down. Attacking the creature across from here would do more harm than good. "I just want to be there with him. He's like… my other half. When I forget him, I still miss him."

You don't simply wish to be there with him," it said with its demonic smile. "You wish to be there _for_ him. Help him in whatever way you can. Your toll shall be your magic, both the ability to heal and your connection to the Eidolons. You shall not be of the help you gave him before, or you ever will, should his attempt win."

"It's yours," Garnet said without a second thought. She could feel the pain of her ties to the great beasts were severed and pulled into the thing, showing up as the stones that they granted her last time. She was more surprised by the feeling of her magic disappearing. It didn't hurt anywhere near as much as the other. It slowly leaked away from her, like water on her fingertips after she held an icicle.

After the toll was given, the gate opened, and she fell through it. She felt herself suspended briefly as she ended up on a busy street. It reminded her some of Treno, with the constantly-moving carriages, even if they lacked chocobos pulling them. Her clothes did clearly stand out. Around her, people wandered on foot as well, some noticing her clothes and staring. She stood out a bit too much.

Hopefully that thing didn't cheat her out of the price, only placing her where Zidane went. Two men passed by her talking excitedly about something in hushed tones. Though as one brushed by her, she thought she felt the familiar teasing of Zidane's tail.

Nervously, she called out "Zidane, is that you?"

One of the men, the blond, stopped and turned to face her. Those eyes, the same unnatural eyes she took comfort in before. They weren't going to escape her again. It was Zidane, yet he seemed hesitant to admit that she was who she was. The man he was with said something, noticing his position. Zidane ended up ignoring her. She would not be denied like that.

"Zidane!" She called out. He seemed to try and leave her. She rushed through the crowd chasing him. "Zidane! Wait up!" He still didn't accept it. "Zidane Tribal, don't you dare do this a third time!" She started crying. She didn't want him to leave, it seemed to come out in her voice. "I'll hit you if you dare try to shut me out again!"

He stopped, seeming to finally accept that his eyes were not playing tricks on him. His arms surrounded her, comforting her, even as she found herself banging on his chest angrily. He had changed. There was something more to him, he looked taller- acceptable seeing as it had been over a year, his hair paler, and slightly longer.

"Sorry," he said. Then she knew everything was going to be fine.


	9. My Heart Turned Red With Passion

**Pre-emptive answer: NO! You will not get to see what happens directly after the end of the chapter. Not even if you beg. I do have issues with writing stuff on that level, and I tried doing some snippets of it just for my own amusement. If you try to protest, click on my name, which should be right above this and read my list of how I act in fandom. I. Don't. Care. Use your imagination if you really want to know what happens. If you want to write it. Fine. Just ask for permission and give credit in the disclaimer. I'd be flattered. Don't go into detail in the request and I'd likely say yes. Don't expect me to read/review either.**

**Also, sorry for the doubling, but I actually like it, and I wanted to get in the heads of both Zidane and Garnet. (I want to make it a feature of mine, but I can't bring myself)**

**Oh, and the lyrics? Badly FFIX-ized genderswapped lyrics to "Wonderful Guy" from _South Pacific_ by Rogers and Hammerstein.  
**

**One last thing, I think all the outfits described in this chapter were created by Meago on Deviantart. I lack the inspiration for cute clothes more often than not. Name all the outfits by the name she gave them and… you win! Win what? I don't know, maybe an e-cookie, maybe an internet. You can name your price.**

**Now I'm going back to the Arcane Sanctuary in FFII, in which my final party has the names Neil, Lamia, You, and… Leon… (Didn't feel like putting in the effort with him.)

* * *

**

He enjoyed spending his free time with Roy. He was attractive, sure, but the more time he spent with Roy, the more he could get past his attraction and see the real Roy. He liked playing a bit of flirt with Roy to keep him guessing. Riza would kill him if his flirting went beyond the drinks he kept wheedling Roy to let him pay for, though. Especially after he brought that bouquet to Roy on his first day back in Central.

"You're still acting too much like Hughes, Travers," Roy said lightly.

"Yeah, but your pain isn't as bad anymore now you've got confirmation on what he told you."

"I guess, but I still don't want you to act so careless. It might lead to your downfall."

Zidane nodded, letting his tail sneak out from under the jacket to grope a young girl in some form of period dress the two passed by. A favorite past time of his, when he could blame it on the leather coat he refused to give up.

"You're hopeless," Roy said. "I wish that girl you loved would show up here to stop your ridiculous debauchery."

"Takes one to know one Roy," Zidane said.

Roy gave a playful punch. "You seem to be mistaking a mask with the real thing."

"Keep telling yourself that."

"Zidane, is that you?" he heard the girl call out. He stopped at hearing his name. It wasn't something he heard very often any more. He spun around and looked at the girl.

It was a phantom, an illusion. Wrath only admitted his nature to Zidane because he figured it out on his own. Who knew about the others that he heard of from Ed? One of them could be a shape shifter and had been spying on him to get information. No, that was paranoid, even for him, but still, it couldn't explain what he saw.

"What is it Zander?" Roy said calmly. "Why are you stopping here?"

"It's nothing, Roy," Zidane said, shaking his head of the memory that he saw. "Just haunted by my past again."

He tried to focus on anything but the vision he had of Garnet. "Zidane?"

It was her voice. Even Roy and Riza were careful about using his name. Especially after Ed confirmed Zidane's statement about there being artificial humans. He didn't know what powers they had, and even Ed's drawings could only help so much about how the ones he hadn't met looked. It might have been too late, though. He turned to walk in the other direction.

"Zidane! Wait up!" It can't be her. It just can't be.

"Zidane Tribal, don't you dare do this a third time. I will hit you if you dare try to shut me out again!"

_Just remember that you're not alone, Zidane. You have friends where you are. Let them help you save the worlds._

He gave a bit of a smirk. Seemed the Warrior was right. He turned around. "Sorry," He said quietly. Just like the last reunion, he found himself in the role of punching back. "Got a bit cocky, didn't I?"

The next punch was harder than the rest. "Yes!"

"Would it make you feel better if I said I missed you every day and wished I said yes?"

She kissed him lightly. "It does, just don't do it again."

Roy walked over. "Zander, who is this?"

"Zander?"

"I'll explain later, Garnet. Roy, meet my sweetheart, Garnet."

"Fiancée. I managed to get here, so you don't have an excuse, and 'It's too dangerous' doesn't count."

Zidane laughed, and he seemed slightly surprised when Roy laughed too. "Of course, Dagger. My _fiancée_, Garnet."

"Lovely to meet you, Miss Garnet," Roy said, offering his hand. "Any friend of Zander's is a friend of mine."

"Pleasure to meet you as well," she replied. "Although I think I need to dress differently. I've been getting stares, and some look worse than the others."

Zidane offered a hand. "I will be honored to buy you something new, my lady."

* * *

Even if he decided he'd deny it later, helping Garnet adapt to Amestris, especially the earliest steps of having her not stand out so much, was quite enjoyable. Especially seeing her in the new outfits.

"Which do you think suits me more?" she asked, holding up a few outfits. Both were dresses – which he didn't mind – with hems that seemed to hit just above the knee. One was brown-and-white checked with a dark brown knit shirt underneath, while the other was a violet skirt-and-vest set with a lavender blouse underneath with light sleeves.

"I don't know," he said. "But the purple outfit would be more fun to dance in."

She shoved it at him. "Then you can wear it."

He laughed. "I'm not an actor any more Dagger. I can't get away with it."

His laugh was contagious. "I don't know, I think if someone didn't know who you were, they might think you were a lovely female."

"Oh, you don't remember that lovely woman who played Lenna in Solstice Fantasy on your fifteenth?"

She laughed again. "I'm right, you would pass as a woman to those who didn't know."

He rolled his eyes, a black and bronze dress with a simple design down the middle catching it. "How about that dress? It seems to be you?"

She looked at it and nodded. "I think so too. I wonder if there's one that fits me."

She dug through the racks, asking him what the arbitrary numbers meant and which worked for her before finding one they thought would work. She pulled the hanger off and moved to an area

"Am I missing anything else, Zi-Zander," Garnet asked as she twirled her new dress around in front of the mirror. "I have clothes, I was granted the ability to understand and be understood."

He laughed and wrapped his hands around her. "It was nicer to you, it seems. I had to learn the language naturally." He kissed her cheek. "You simply need a story and a place to live."

"Aren't I going to live with you?"

He shook his head. "I live in a military-assigned room in the complex. Unless you want to join as well, which I hope you wouldn't, we need a different place for you."

"That man you were with, Mustang, could he be of help? Maybe I can say he's my brother."

Zidane was quiet. "I'm not certain, I'll see if he could help."

She tried on several other outfits as well, settling on three more outfits in the store before finally letting Zidane buy everything she wanted.

* * *

Mustang was more than willing to help, although unwilling to take Garnet in as a sister. "We don't look that much alike," he said. "Even if you are cute."

"Might I remind you who her fiancé is, Colonel?" Zidane said, finding himself protective of her.

Roy nodded calmly. "My mother says that she found me near Aerugo, and I've often been told I have some traits that are associated with them. Her eyes are a little too normal Amestrian, but that could easily be remedied by having a father who left Amestris."

It took a surprisingly short time for him to call up someone and ask a question.

"Ayers? Yes, that sounds nice. Is that so? Thanks for the laugh about that. Glad to hear. Yes, of course. Good day." He hung up the phone with a grin. "There was a man name of Yuri Ayers who disappeared about 20 years ago. We don't know where he is, and he could easily have fled to Aerugo and fathered a daughter of your age."

"Would I need a different first name?"

"Garnet works," Zidane said with a small smile. "It's a kind of stone here as well. Same kind, in fact. And a girl's name, I think."

He looked at Mustang, who nodded at him. "So I think we have everything we need to get you started."

"Well, a house would be nice."

"We'll get you one," Zidane said. "But since you just crossed the border, you must be pretty tired. Let me get you a nice room at the state hotel. I'll pay for you for now."

* * *

_I'm as corny as Lindblum in August. High as an airship but I know I won't fall…_

_Zidane… what are you doing?_

_I'm in love with a wonderful gal. Oh Kuja, you have no idea how happy I am that Garnet's here._

_You're practically dancing down the street. Where's that beat of yours coming from? Never mind I don't want to know._

"I missed this side of you, Zidane," Garnet said, wrapping her arm loosely around his. "I know you tried to give me happy memories, but still…"

"You're right," Zidane said. "I haven't really been like this in a while. I've had hope, I've been happy, but it wasn't like this. I guess there was something missing."

She gave him a peck on the cheek.

Zidane noticed that he had to be near the State hotel as the Elric brothers were nearby. He wasn't certain if Garnet was ready yet.

"Travers," Ed said as he passed by Zidane on the street. "Who's the lady? Got over your ex?"

"Not quite Elric," Zidane said teasingly. "My dearly beloved found me here. She hardly lets herself out of my sight."

"Elric," Garnet said. "Nice to meet you. I'm Garnet ti- Garnet Ayers."

"Call me Ed," he said. "This is my brother Al."

She gave a curtsey. "Pleasure to meet you both."

"Ed, Al, join us. I was just showing Garnet around. Well, if you're free."

"Sure thing, Travers."

Zidane made a clicking noise. "Zander, Ed. I'm not so much older than you that you have to show respect like that."

Ed grinned. "Whatever you say, Zander."

"So, I'm guessing you must be hungry, Ed. I'll treat you to lunch as well if you want. That trip from Rush Valley must have been tough."

Ed nodded. "You have no idea. There's a lot I've been meaning to ask you about since you showed up in South."

"You didn't tell me why you chose that name," Garnet said after they had sat down for lunch.

He smiled. "It comes from a common name here, Alexander."

He didn't need to say more to explain to her. Not about Melissa, Joey, and Panenbool. She wrapped her arms around him, giving thanks constantly.

Al looked at her. "What about you, Miss Garnet?"

Garnet looked over, surprised at the appearance of Al. "What about me, Al?"

Zidane laughed. "He means about your name, Garnet."

She blushed. "Oh, well, my name actually is Garnet. Ayers was just something Zidane and Mr. Mustang came up with searching for a decent last name. Officially, I'm an immigrant from Aerugo with all my papers in check. And half Amestrian."

"You do look like you could pass as someone from there," Ed said.

Garnet laughed. "Thanks Ed."

Zidane smiled. "You know, here, tradition states that the man usually proposes to a woman."

"Are you saying you want to propose to me as an Amestrian?" She said with a smile.

"If you'll have me?" He said. "There's something about getting a ring out and bending on a knee in the proposition, but I don't have the former and I think I've done the latter to you far more than you wish."

She punched him lightly. "Considering that I asked you first, I think I will. You can get me a ring later if you really want to."

"You two make me sick," Ed said. "I think I'll head back to the hotel if you two will be like this."

Zidane looked between Ed and Garnet. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"You are," they both said at about the same time.

"I think it's sweet," Al said with that sense of a smile. "It makes me think I might have a love like that one day."

Zidane chuckled a bit. "So, there was something you wanted to ask me about my time in South?"

Ed nodded. "What were you doing there?"

Zidane shrugged. "I work for the Fuhrer, are you really surprised I was there when he was?"

"That's not what I was talking about and you know it."

Zidane nodded. "Didn't want too many to die. I'm not sure I managed to spare their lives, but I did save two who weren't."

"What do you mean?"

"Can't tell you any more information. Too dangerous here."

Ed shrugged at the peculiarity. "I don't understand you at times, Travers."

Zidane smirked and nodded. "I think I know where you can stay for the time being, Dagger. Ed and Al, you can help me out here, if you want."

"Why must you always speak in riddles, you idiot?"

Zidane shrugged and called the server for the check.

* * *

"Freya!" Zidane said with a grin as he entered the old home he bought for Freya and her not-beau. While it wasn't very secret to Wrath, it offered quite a bit of room, and would give Garnet some people she could talk to comfortably.

"Zidane," Freya said running down the stairs. "I've told you before, knock before entering."

Zidane smiled. "Not even if I have a surprise for you?"

Freya gave her annoyed glower. "Honestly, I don't care about meeting your past life. Or some alchemic reaction which would make me look human."

"How about an old friend?" Garnet said walking in.

Zidane let out a laugh at Freya's gape. "I guess I didn't run out on her after all."

"You did," Garnet said. "I just caught up."

Freya smiled. "Hey! Idiot Wanderer. I have someone you'd like to meet."

"Don't call me an idiot," Kain said, walking out of a side room.

"Okay, overly-serious wanderer."

"Thanks Freya," Kain said sarcastically. "Oh, look, it's that kid who keeps on acting like he's your brother or something. He got a girlfriend. Lali-ho and all that. Now maybe he won't be bothering us." He turned around, preparing to leave the room again.

"Wrong way, sir," Garnet said. "I'm staying here, since I'm not from this world either."

Kain paused briefly. "What did you just say?"

Garnet smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, sir, I'm Garnet til Alexandros the Seventeenth, Queen _Regnant_ of Alexandria, now known as Garnet Ayers when I go out. I'm going to try to find some sort of work to help you. What might your name be?"

Kain turned around and forced. "Margrave Kain Highwind, last Dragoon under the command of Baron."

Garnet stumbled in a curtsey, unused to doing such in a knee-length skirt, no matter how full. Zidane caught her as she stumbled forwards and helped her up as Kain gave a small bow.

"Like I said, it is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Highwind."

"Same to you, your Majesty."

"Rally-ho," Zidane said, causing the other three to look at him. "That's what the dwarves of Conde Petit say, not Lali-ho."

"Wrong dwarves," Kain said. "I was thinking of some from my world when I said that."

Zidane started reaching for his pistol and Kain looked for something long and hopefully sharp before Garnet stepped between the two. "All this talk of worlds is making my head hurt. You two can argue about which one's the best later, but for now, I just need rest."

She gave a large yawn as if to emphasize her point.

Freya smiled. "Of course. I'm glad that you found a way here, Dagger – forgive me, it's easier to remember you as such."

Garnet laughed. "It's fine Freya. If it's easier for you, then you may. Although I sometimes find myself thinking of myself that way."

Freya smiled and helped Garnet up to a spare room, one Zidane had half-jokingly declared his own room when he purchased the house. It didn't have much in the way of furnishings, just a bed, dresser, and nightstand.

"I hope you're rested in the morrow," Kain said with a small bow before leaving.

"See you." Freya waved with a slight swish of her tail before leaving the bedroom.

Zidane gave of a nervous laugh. "You have no idea how glad I am you're here, even if I feel bad for being so selfish. Your life could have been better off without me."

_Just because you don't need a reason to help someone doesn't mean you have to be alone when you do_, Kuja touched, stressing the last part.

_Yeah yeah, I get it Kuja, I'm not alone, and I shouldn't play sole savior of the world. Can you fuck off now? I want to be alone with her, and that means you can't go peeping._

_My baby brother's all grown up._ _Alright, fine, I get it._ The mental wall between the two went up.

"It could have," Garnet said. "I suppose that empty longing I felt would have stopped sooner or later. But at the same time, it might not have."

"I guess you're right. I'll be back tomorrow. I think I can worm a few days off from the Fuhrer, or at least pretend I'm researching at one of the libraries."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and turned to leave, but Garnet caught him by his tail.

"You're not leaving tonight."

"Then you're not leaving my sight."

Garnet smiled and held him, releasing his tail from her grip. "Good. Same here."


	10. I Write It Down In My Notebook

"You know," Freya said. "It's the strangest thing. I have this feeling that Zidane never left us last night."

Garnet set her bowl of fruit down harder than she intended to. "Is that so? What makes you say that?"

"He never said goodbye to me. I don't think he'd be stupid enough to forget."

Garnet was slightly tense. "Maybe you fell asleep earlier than you intended to."

Freya laughed. "I'm not upset, Garnet. It's good you found your way here. Zidane was pretty unbearable to me for the short while between us running into each other again and you escaping Gaia. He seemed so at ease yesterday for the first time in a long time. It's like my brother after he and his wife returned from visiting Master Gizamaluke. I asked if he managed to achieve trance the morning after."

"You really don't care?"

Freya nodded.

Garnet exhaled in relief. "I was so certain you'd be mad at him for being a pervert again. It was all my idea that he stay the night. I know it was stupid, but I felt like if he left that night, he wasn't returning."

Freya took a sip of her tea and said "that is stupid. Stop trying to sneak out behind me Zidane, you must have heard what I said. Granted, no guarantee how Kain would react."

"Depends on if you break the news to him before he finds me," Zidane said, not showing any surprise at Freya noticing him.

"And you can come have some breakfast. There's some toasted bread and fresh fruit in the kitchen."

Zidane nodded and headed over, spotting Kain enter the small room before he fell behind the partition between the two rooms. He heard some talking go by between Freya and Kain, her attempts to make up a reason as to why Zidane was here.

"He has the day off, again," she finally settled on. "He was so excited that Dagger was here, that he had to come spend the day with us again."

Kain looked suspicious of the reason, but didn't press further. Zidane rushed to the table and pulled a berry from Garnet's bowl. He ate it casually as she swatted him playfully.

"You still haven't told me much about this world and why you're here," Garnet said.

Zidane gave a nervous grin. "You know that kid you met yesterday?"

She nodded. "Ed, right. He was nice. He looked a bit like you, back when we were saving the world."

"He's me. That soul Garland ripped from me? His. I don't know if the soul was by accident or design, but my appearance certainly was. I don't know where Garland is. Or what his name is. Garland was a different man he stole the appearance and position of a thousand years in the future."

"A thousand… Wait… that thing, it said we were in the past. What are you doing here?"

"Giving those in Gaia a better life by keeping the invasion from ever occurring. If I save this country, I save this world. If I save this world, I save ours."

Garnet pieced it together. "That's why we were forgetting you."

Zidane nodded. "And I'd love for you to help too, if you want to."

"I wish I could help with that goal of yours," Garnet said. "But that thing took my powers away, calling them a cost."

"Truth took them?"

Garnet nodded, hanging her head. "I can't believe it… I've ended up being truly useless to you."

"Truly… No! There has to be a way. Freya! Highwind! You can teach her, right?"

Freya shook her head. "My techniques assume one has a tail for which to keep balance. So if you ever want to be a Dragon Knight…"

"Thanks but no thanks, Freya. What about you, Highwind?"

"What's wrong with Kain?" he muttered.

"I know a different one. Just answer the question."

"It takes longer than the time we have before this time you think of."

Zidane let out a loud exhalation. "Can't believe this stuff. There has to be some way to teach Dagger to fight."

Kain smiled. "I could give her some basic hand-to-hand moves. I know some for when I end up disarmed."

"Hand-to-… Got it! Thanks Highwind! C'mon Garnet! Time to go get some new items for you."

"So Kain can teach me?" Garnet asked hopefully.

"What? Highwind doesn't know enough right now for you to be a real help. I know someone better!"

* * *

Managing to talk to Mrs. Curtis was harder than he thought it would be, especially after he stupidly chose to introduce himself as "Major Alexander Travers, also known as the Axiom Alchemist."

"I've told the others before, I won't join the Military!"

Zidane struggled at dodging and blocking the woman's attacks, both physical and alchemic. "That's not!" A large spike nearly pierced his earlobe. "That!" He ducked under the next one. "Don't want you to join!" he said quickly before missing her sweeping kick.

_You should have caught that sooner. Freya pulled it on you before. And much cleaner as well._

_But Freya's like a sister. She has implicit permission to beat me up whenever she feels I'm getting too full of myself. And that's been since we met._

_Oh look, my baby brother's all grown up and using terms like implicit permission._

_Sometimes I wish you still had your own body so I could hit you._

The image of Kuja in his mind included his face twisted in a childish action, and he struggled to keep from laughing aloud at the juxtaposition of the elegant Kuja and the ridiculous look on his face.

"Fine," Mrs. Curtis said, standing over her. "I'll hear you out."

"There's danger in the military. You're wise to reject them."

She looked at him a moment. "Then why do you stay?"

"To protect her." He paused. Not the answer he wanted. "No, not just her, everyone. There's people I know I can trust to help. You're one."

"Who is this 'her' you speak of?" Mrs. Curtis was unrelenting. Her cold stare almost physically chilling.

"I am," Garnet said, walking forward. "I suppose my fiancée didn't bother trying to explain things right."

Mrs. Curtis's stare turned to Garnet. "Who are you."

"Garnet Ayers. This man," she gestured towards Zidane. "Is Major Zander Travers."

"And why come here?"

"I want her to train under you. Not alchemy. She can't do that, but should trouble arise for me and they try to use her to get to me, I don't want her to be defenseless."

He knew Mrs. Curtis was weighing her options. It cost her nothing to simply say no. Instead, she asked another question. "Certainly there are others you found more suitable than me closer to where you live. Why me?"

"Because he respects you," Garnet said, coming up with a plausible lie.

_But you do respect her._

_Idolize is probably a better word. I mean, with how close Ed and I are temporally – shut up Kuja – respect is not enough for her. That describes the distanced feelings of Hohenheim._

"He knows Edward Elric and heard stories of both how strict you were and how caring."

"I've seen you before," she said, returning her gaze to Zidane.

Zidane forced a laugh. "Yeah, Devil's Nest. I saved a few that were forced into service. It was passing at best Mrs. Curtis, but when I spoke with Elric afterwards, he seemed to think highly of your abilities in martial arts as well as alchemy."

She took a deep breath. "Very well Mr. Travers. I will train Ms. Ayers, but only because you have that look on your face. Too much like Ed's."

Zidane smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Curtis! Thank you so much!"

"I hope you know I won't be easy on her just because she's not an alchemist."

"I don't think she'd have it any other way."

Garnet sent a glare. "_She_ actually wouldn't."

Mrs. Curtis nodded at her. "Very well, Miss Ayers. I hope you're prepared."

"I am, Master."

* * *

Zidane woke up on the train back with a feeling of dread. He couldn't describe the feeling any better way. He still had a few hours until sunrise, and then another two or three to reaching Central. He had forgotten how long the trip was in the short amount of time he spent with Mrs. Curtis.

The feeling, it was similar to ones he felt before. When he fought against the chimera – a disaster that finding Kain and Freya barely mitigated everything else – and the time of the Lab 5 incident. He had passed it off as simple anxiety to go to South at the time, and only later learned of the consequences.

Something was happening. Something bad. Something that pushed the timeline towards the death of Amestris. There was nothing he could do about it either.

* * *

He ran into the house with Freya and Kain. "Any news?"

Freya rolled her eyes as she closed the periodical she read. "You still don't know how to knock yet, it seems. Does that count?"

Zidane shook his head. "Dammit Freya, that's not funny. Did anything big happen with Roy or Ed while I was gone?"

"Roy killed the person who killed this man… Brigadier General Maes Hughes. He claims she resisted, but the journalist thinks he had a vendetta."

"They were close. Roy and Hughes."

She smiled. "To be fair, Riza and his other men requested a day or two off. Seems that they thought he went overboard as well."

Kain walked in eating an apple. "Not only that, but I think he was being tricky about it too. Seems that Miss Hawkeye was the one that took him and this other man to the hospital since they were suffering severe burns, among other injuries. Funny, considering they were wet."

Zidane nodded idly. They had taken someone on the other side on. They might have won, or they might have lost. The death of this killer was a mask to get at the homunculi quietly. At least, that was his best guess.

"You still here, kid?" Kain asked.

Zidane nodded again. "Of course I am, Highwind. Why wouldn't I be?"

He laughed. "Sometimes it seems like you're keeping something from us."

"I keep little things from Freya all the time. It's just something that doesn't really concern you two."

Freya gave him a stern look, despite her relaxed position. He felt that she knew what he was keeping secret. "He's probably wondering if he can really trust Ed and Al's master. He only met her twice."

Zidane nodded. "That's it Freya. You know me. I mean, she seems kind of stern, and when I saw her after the Devil's nest, she seemed kind of sickly. Is she really going to be a good teacher?"

"I'm sure she's fine. A good teacher is stern when one needs to be. But a softness is also required. From the way those two spoke of her to you, it seems she has both."

"Why do you think I chose her?"


	11. Just Stop With The Lies Already

Roy needed a good laugh on his first day back in the office, and Zidane was giving it, chatting with his sweetheart on company lines. It reminded him of his attempt to fight against the Homunculi, leading to his hospitalization, but his nature was completely genuine.

"Oh, I can't believe that about your master, Dagger, she would never… Ed and Al? Really? You're joking…" His face dropped. "You're not. Still, at least it was only a few days with you. Oh really? Thanks Dagger, you're so sweet. Did you get my present I sent?"

He gave a wide smile and practically wrapped himself in the telephone cord as his voice jumped an octave. "Oh, thank you so much, I hoped you'd like it, since my proposal was a little rushed. Uh-huh… thanks Garnet. Great talking to you. Love you. Not possible. Ciao!" He hung up, unwrapping himself from the cord.

Mustang stifled his laugh at Zidane's confusion with a cough. "Was there anything else you wanted to talk to me about, Travers? Like anything you saw?"

"I didn't know," Zidane said. "Most of what I know is pretty far out, other than that, it's rarely more than a feeling of dread the day of, and I get those just when I know the Fuhrer's going to ask me something big, so it's not that relation."

"You didn't know what happened to put me in the hospital."

"Whatever it was couldn't have been that bad. Enough to upset me, but not enough to kill you. I'm guessing you took care of it."

Roy glared at him. "It was much too high of a cost."

Zidane nodded. "I understand."

"I think I know what Hughes meant. And what you did. What put me in the hospital seemed to be part of a group."

"Be careful who you tell that to."

"I just need to think about it some more."

* * *

"Be careful," Ling said, turning his head quickly towards the door. "Something's coming."

Ed looked around confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"One of them is coming," Zidane said walking in. "I felt bad about not warning you all about this last time, so I'm here now."

"How close?" Ed asked.

"If you all leave now, you'll be safe. It's a pretty dangerous Homunculus coming to get him, Envy. It would have been Lust but… well, you know what happened to her."

"Get Lan Fan out!" Ling shouted at Roy and Riza. "I don't want her hurt."

"What about you?" Zidane asked. "I think it would be a good idea."

Something was going to happen to Ling, Ed guessed.

"I don't trust people like you."

"That's uncalled for," Al said. "Zidane only has two souls total."

Ling rolled his eyes. "How do you know there weren't once more?"

"He…" Al trailed off, unsure about what to say.

Zidane smiled a bit. "It's okay, I guess I am kind of suspicious. He has reason for his actions. I'm leaving though."

Zidane waved and ran off.

As the fight escalated, Ling's words about Zidane seemed to pop in on occasion. Was he really from someplace else? Sure, Ling confirmed that there was more than one soul, but was it really out of control? Or was Kuja just an act? Or worse, the Zidane personality could be an act. Did Garnet know? Was she in on whatever he was doing?

He barely jumped away from Gluttony in time to not be swallowed for the moment, but only for the moment.

* * *

"Hello there."

Fuery looked up from the early morning work. It wasn't the Colonel, despite how strange it was that he took off last night and was yet to return. He was greeted to the smiling face of the young Major. It still surprised him that a nineteen-year-old managed to outrank him (Or a fifteen-year-old as well, but he'd decided that Ed was an exception.)

"I'm sorry, Major," he said, standing up and giving a salute. "But the Colonel isn't present at the moment. Shall I let him know you were here?"

Travers shook one of his hands in the air. "No need, Fuery. I'm here concerning you three."

"Us?" Breda asked.

Travers nodded, giving each a manila envelope with the seal of the Fuhrer. "It's of utmost importance. Any of you three know where the Lieutenant first class is?"

"Sorry," Fuery said, re-reading the letter making sure he didn't misread the reassignment. "She's not here. She left with the Fuhrer last night, but that's all I know. I think he headed for Main Command.

"Didn't see her when I left with these, but I'll check again on my way back, thank you Fuery, for your assistance."

As Travers left, Fuery swear he heard him mutter "I can't believe Bradley's making me do this" yet Breda, who had to have been closer, seemed to not hear anything that made sense out of Travers.

"So where are you going?" Breda asked.

"South, to the borders of Aerugo," Fuery said. "Are you sure nothing made sense?"

"Positive. All I could hear was the Fuhrer's name. Although…"

"Although what?" Fuery and Falman asked at the same time.

Breda shook his head dismissively. "I'm being paranoid here."

"No, tell us."

Breda rolled up the sheet of paper. "Did he look either of you in the eye? Because he was actively keeping me from looking him in the eye."

Falman paused. "Now that you mention it…"

"He could just be guilty about doing something the Fuhrer ordered," Fuery said. "I mean, he and the Colonel are pretty close friends."

The excuse sounded hollow to Fuery as well. He remembered the exact location of where Hawkeye was and ran out to warn her.

* * *

"Hey! Lieutenant!" Riza turned around to see Zidane standing there. Fuery grew suspicious at the sight of him, probably due to what had happened earlier.

"Orders from the Fuhrer regarding reassignments," He said, handing an envelope to her. "Wish I could have given you more notice, but he seemed to want this done quickly for some reason."

"You are to be reassigned to Central Command," She read aloud, noticing Fuery's relieved look. "As the Fuhrer's assistant."

Zidane gave a grin. "It's not so bad, at least now I'll have a familiar face to see every day."

She knew what it meant, Zidane just happened to try and give a positive spin to the news. It seemed one thing Zidane had been quiet about was something that would have helped with the situation.

"I know you enjoy working for the Colonel," he said, letting go of the pretense as the other officer and Fuery left. "And I know you're probably angry at me."

"I'm not just angry at you Travers! Forgive my insubordination, but you were right out of your mind, keeping the news from us, even when you and the Colonel spoke as equals at the end of the day. Does Garnet know about this?"

He looked at her for a moment in shock. Probably conversing with that spare soul he had in his body. "No. Well, more than you do. I told her that the danger came from within this time and I wanted her to have some form of defense. Sent her to Master. Not like I think it would help."

"Tell me Travers, were you there when the Colonel found out his suspicions were confirmed?"

He shook his head. "I am not trustworthy enough to be considered part of his _real_ inner circle. The Fuhrer and I know many of each others' secrets, and have a game of trying to find out the biggest secret the other has while keeping the other from learning ours. Although he seems to be relaxing somewhat on me, now that I have someone else for him to get me to comply."

"Until you're willing to take risks, don't bother trying to help."

* * *

"I'm surprised you two never figured out who came up with these ideas," the Fuhrer said, turning around to Roy, Ed, and Al.

Roy and Ed looked at each other and Ed spoke up. "I don't know what you mean, sir."

The man they knew as Bradley gave a wide grin. "I have someone who was amazing at provoking responses from all of you, who you thought you could trust. Thanks to him, I learned what you cared for."

"You speak in riddles, Fuhrer," Roy said. "Even if Major Travers loves to do so as well, doesn't mean I can understand them all."

"Travers!" Al said suddenly. "He's been spying for the Fuhrer. He… he had to have changed sides." Al wasn't certain he believed what he said. It was a coincidence, nothing more.

"That's ridiculous, Alphonse," Roy said. "He had nothing to gain by spying on us."

"If we could believe him," Ed said with a growl. He slammed his hands on the table. "Ling was right to not trust that two-souled bastard."

The fuhrer grinned. It was a trick, or at least, Zidane had hid that fact from Wrath.

Al seemed hesitant in accepting Ed's outburst, but looked back on the events. The off-worlder was always hesitant to open up about his home after he returned. "I believe you, Brother."

"That can't be true!" Roy said. "He's just a private person. You know all the things he had to go through before he joined. He had a high price."

The Fuhrer grinned. "I'm pleased you would love to replace me when I retire, Colonel Mustang. But I fail to see what short skirts have to do with Ishval."

Roy's face fell. He knew the whole truth. There was no denying the conclusion the Fuhrer – Wrath – had hinted at. Even if Zidane's concern about what he wanted to do seemed so genuine.

Reverse psychology. It had to be. He claimed the opposite of what he wanted. After all, he was smiling when he gave the caution to Roy. Tribal was a liar.

* * *

"Colonel!" Ed said frantically. "Give me the change you have."

Mustang dug through his pockets pulling out less than ten coins, all small denominations of Cen.

Ed counted it. "This isn't enough. I need more."

"What are you? A thief?"

"We're not starting that again."

"I'm sorry," Roy said. His voice was pained.

"Not enough?" Zidane asked, turning a corner.

"Well speak of the devil," Ed muttered.

Zidane opened up a silk change purse and pulled out two coins. "This should help you out, right?" he asked, handing the coins over.

Roy glared at him. It wasn't just the friendly kind he gave in annoyance. It was more the kind he'd have reserved for someone who just betrayed his friends.

"What's wrong, Colonel?" He said, trying to keep himself friendly. "I bought you that premium beer the other day, I'm not him. Good news, it's my last day as his P.A. maybe we could…"

"You know that the Lieutenant has been given your position, Major," Roy said.

"Yes, and…"

"Do you have any idea what the Fuhrer just told us, _Zander_?" Ed said. "I'm sure you've known all along what he was."

"W-What are you talking about, Ed."

"Don't you dare call my brother that, Travers. I can't believe you'd keep this from us, no matter orders. When have you been one to follow them?"

He gave a forced smile. "Is that so Elric?"

Al nodded.

Ed shoved the coins back. "Keep your change, Tribal. You can buy a mask with it." He walked off with his brother. The Colonel looked at him for a moment longer before leaving as well.

"Fine, I'll leave you be to go as your winds dictate."

He had failed. Everyone thought he played it too safe, despite feeling he wasn't safe enough. Then again, he was used to playing big crowds back on Gaia. He had a much smaller audience now, with a large amount leaving during the intermission.

"I heard arguing, Travers, or should I say, Tribal."

Zidane nodded. "I delivered the papers you wanted."

Wrath smiled. "Got an equally exotic first name to go with it, Tribal?"

"Let it come naturally, my liege. I tried to be comforting about it. I'm quite fond of the Colonel's crew and all that."

"I don't think you can weasel your way out of giving me your name this time, Tribal. I know right where that sweetheart of yours is. Why do you think I felt I no longer needed you so close?"

"Which one? I'm sweet on all the ladies, you know."

"The one you call your Dagger. Your _beloved_ Dagger, I believe that is your exact line. If you won't tell me, I'm sure she'll scream your name out as the others take care of her."

He swallowed. "Zidane. I'm Zidane Tribal. Need any more assistance, sir?"

Wrath shook his head. "You are dismissed for the day, Tribal. Although know you're still working for my department every day."

Zidane nodded. "Yes sir."

* * *

Zidane collapsed on his bed. Wrath had no other assignments for his paper monkey, at least now that he had a new personal assistant. They all looked at him with such disgust when he passed by in the hall, and he had sent Dagger to train with Master, at least in the physical aspects of fighting.

_Why call her master? __You__ never trained with her._

_Yes I did, millennia ago, she called me all sorts of names, remember?_

_That was Ed she trained, not you._

He rolled over to one side. _I am Ed, it doesn't make a difference._

_You're not Ed. You were given his soul, but it was your choice to do with it as you pleased. You two have some similar behaviors and parts of your appearances, but you're not the same. Do you think Ed would ever be willing to steal something just because he could?_

_No, but I don't remember being happy wi-_

_He doesn't have your reluctance to fight women._

_Don't have it anymore… Lust and Envy taught me otherwise…_

_Fine, curl up in a ball and die and let everyone here die._

_If it means seeing Vivi's face again…_

Kuja took over. _If you won't do anything, then I will._


	12. Running But I Don't Know Why

It was a common saying in Treno that to understand another, one must walk a mile in the other's shoes. Zidane used to add that it was because then then the other would be a mile away and barefoot. Kuja always knew the real meaning, but never how it applied to him, until that day.

Kuja used to envy Zidane, for being Garland's favorite, for not having a limit – or at least not a short one – for having friends, a lover. He had everything except a real family as far as the two had been concerned until that fateful day, but Zidane didn't seem to care about that, instead claiming people as various family members. The guys from Tantalus were brothers, and Baku was the next-best thing to a father. Zidane had taken in Freya and Riza as older sisters – even if the latter was upset at him. Ed and Al had also become brothers, with all the positives and negatives, as far as either were concerned.

Since Zidane had decided to give up and let history run its course, Kuja had learned that his choice to envy his younger brother was a stupid idea. No, it was the stupidest idea he ever came up with. His life was hard. At least, at that point it was.

He had no allies as far as he was concerned. He was convinced Freya would take Riza's side. And Kain – even if he wouldn't admit it – fancied Freya, and would stand by any decision she made. Roy, Ed, and Al all hated him as well. The good news – if it could be called that – was that Ed and Al were planning on leaving for North some time in the immediate future. He wouldn't have to interact with Roy that much either. The only one who would take his side – Garnet – was off in South, being trained by Master. Fat lot of help that was, as Zidane would say.

But with Riza now in the same department as him – he shuddered. She was the worst, and not just because of the status she reached with Zidane. Even without, she was cold. He remembered that from the first time. She gave a hint of warmth to trap Zidane, but was rather cold for the week after. He hated the way Riza gave him his daily assignments. The anger was only there on the first day. After that, there was a feeling Kuja once hated to see directed at him.

Pity.

She pitied Zidane – or maybe Kuja as well. For seemingly falling into the wrong crowd . For the fact that he had a half-life at best, at least compared to naturals such as her, Roy, and even the Elrics, fractured as they might have been later on.

No, he couldn't envy his brother, no matter how he wanted to.

"Oi! Zander!" Kuja turned around, hearing the name. It interrupted his train of thought, and brought about a change of pace, if only for a while. It took him a few moments to place the face he saw to a name. In the memory he borrowed from Zidane, the man wrapped a burly arm around the body the brothers shared and handed him a drink. Joel Grant.

"Joey," He said. "I wasn't expecting you. I thought I said drop me a letter or phone call before heading over."

Joey gave a grin. "Sorry 'bout that, Zander. You busy?"

Kuja frowned. "I have some work, but I think I get off in time for some good drinks. Where are you staying?"

"Just at a cheap inn by the station," Joey said. "I probably could have gotten a better place if I called, wouldn't I?"

"If you were still planning on ambushing me on the streets as I get to work, it wouldn't be likely."

Joey laughed a bit. "So I hear you got a girl?"

Kuja nodded. "When we get drinks, I'll tell you more, but I have to get to work."

It was a change of pace, an ally, at least for support.

"Two beers!" Joey said as Kuja walked in, wearing the dusty old Alexandrian leather coat Zidane refused to give up. He had to admit Zidane's tactic of creating plausible doubt worked far better than the tucking he used to do – and had to do during work hours. "Best you have! The major's paying tonight!"

Kuja gave a smirk. "What makes you think I'm paying for you?"

Joey grinned. "Cuz you're my best friend in the whole world and I'm your guest." Joey gave his best impression of Melissa's innocent smile Zidane could never refuse. Good thing he wasn't Zidane. And that Joey's impression was terrible.

"You don't look a thing like her, and that look is actually scary on you," Kuja said, finding a free table for two and picking one of the chairs.

Joey's ever-present grin widened. "Good, I can bully you into getting the truth with the false promise that it would stop if you do."

"I'll pay, fine. Although I've taken to whiskey these days."

"Your job that hard?"

Kuja rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Recently there was this thing at work… I won't bother saying anything about it, but strings were pulled and politics were played in such a way to trick my friends into believing that I had been spying on them for the fuhrer."

Joey set the glasses on the table. Kuja grabbed one. "Did you? I mean… were you spying on them?"

"Not intentionally. I could have been tailed or something, but I never meant to. Worst thing is, he got dirt on me I would have preferred not to have revealed.

"Like the fact that you aren't the real Zander."

He froze for just a moment. Joey had tricked him.

"How did you know?" Kuja asked, sipping the beer nervously.

Joey gave a laugh. "He doesn't like beer. I used to sneak it all the time, but he hated the stuff. Hated using alcohol for anything except cleaning wounds."

Kuja gave a smile. "That kind of guy, was he?"

"And your eyes are immediately different too."

"Yeah, I know, foreign eyes. I get a lot of grief about it at work."

"His were the color of freshly tilled earth."

Kuja nodded. "That's quite poetic of you, Joey. I hope you aren't upset by my taking his name."

Joey looked away. "I am a little. But you've been doing great things with his name. I think he'd be proud that he's now known as the Axiom Alchemist."

"And working directly for the Fuhrer," Kuja added with a grin. It was difficult to keep up the happy-go-lucky appearance Zidane often used even in the darkest of times. Joey wasn't important. He could easily use his normal demeanor here, but he didn't want to.

"And you're not half-bad," Joey said. "I like you too, fake-Zander. Got a name I can call you?"

Kuja smirked. "I don't give it out to anyone willingly. It would be better to not know it, just in case I get caught. You don't know my name, you won't be tried for conspiracy." He cursed. Gave out too much information.

"I won't tell. But I don't want in, Zander." Joey stood up. "Just… Zander… don't get caught. My Zander wouldn't want you to. He was tricky, but wouldn't break a law if he could help it. And when he did, he never managed to get caught by anyone."

"Don't worry," Kuja said. "I'm the same way when it comes to when I was a kid. I wish I knew him. He seems like he was quite the kid."

"He was," Joey said sitting back down, launching into gushing over the man whose life Zidane and Kuja had stolen for convenience. "But I guess you already picked up all these things, if you haven't been caught yet."

Kuja laughed a bit. "I'm glad you worry over that, Joey. Yes, I do happen to be good at reading people. I couldn't have survived prior if I didn't. How much of Panenbool knows that I'm not him?"

"A good chunk. We always pinned Zander down as the most likely to pick up alchemy, and not many know this, but it was actually the cause of his death."

Kuja looked in interest, vocalizing his curiosity.

"I only know because I was there. Melly was too. We were the only two who saw it happen. But to tell you the truth, none of us really care. You're a good guy, and as long as you're good and keep us in heart, they won't care."

Kuja laughed. "Mel only lets me get away with calling her that because I'm her 'brother'. I'm sure she'd find a way to follow through on that threat I made if she heard you call her that."

Joey winced. "Just when I thought you were joking."

"I was, she might not be," Kuja said standing up. "I'll see you some other time, hopefully. I have to be ready to serve the Furher at stupid-o-clock in the morning."

_I wouldn't say that, even if I was plastered and with friends back in Gaia_, Zidane touched, coming out of his shell of depression briefly. Kuja was about to issue a retort when the shell reappeared around the rightful owner of the body quickly.

At least Joey laughed a bit. "Just don't tell them that," he said.

Kuja smiled politely. "Don't worry Joey, I won't. You're talking to Zander Travers, you know? See you some other time."

Joey nodded as Kuja waved goodbye and left the bar, thankful he barely touched the nodded as Kuja waved goodbye and left the bar, thankful he barely touched the beer.

Riza stared at the door nervously. One of the two on the other side was a close friend of Tribal's since before he even landed in Amestris. For all she knew, Tribal had already turned Freya against her.

She shook her head. That thought was impossible. Freya seemed a good judge of character amongst those she met. She would sooner turn against Tribal once he did the blasphemous acts than believe that they weren't.

She knocked on the door softly, but with the conviction that she needed to talk to the Rat-like woman and her lost friend.

"It's so nice of you to come over, Riza," Freya said with a smile as she opened the door. "Since Zidane sent Dagger to Mrs. Curtis, I haven't had many people to talk to besides that idiot."

"I take offense! I should not just be _that_ idiot, Freya."

Riza laughed a bit. "I'm sure you've heard some of the news, right?"

Freya nodded. "The _Ultimate_ idiot is very useful in these situations. Given my _condition_, it is difficult to head out without getting stares, even when I hide everything. Oh, I'm being terrible about this, please come in, Riza. Mind having some tea? I haven't made it in a while."

"That would be very nice, Freya," Riza said as she walked in and took a seat on the simple couch in the open sitting room.

"It's such a shame that the Fuhrer split you from Mr. Mustang."

Riza nodded, forgetting that Freya couldn't see her. "I didn't end up as far as the others. I'm working as the Fuhrer's personal assistant."

"Wasn't that Zidane's job?"

Riza flinched at the use of Tribal's given name. "Yes, it was, but Major Travers has been reassigned."

She heard Freya laugh slightly. "Oh really? And what is _Major Travers_ doing now?"

She was silent for a while, she didn't really know what Tribal was doing. He seemed to spend most of his time in the Fuhrer's office. She wasn't allowed in the main chambers where Wrath and Tribal were, but she often heard distorted speaking coming from the room. What little she actually saw of him was often reading through various records of Alchemy, making notes idly.

"Research and consulting," she said.

"That's so unlike him," Freya said as a whistle came from the kettle she must have had on the stove.

Riza stood up and walked over to the table as Freya laid down a saucer and cup.

"I forget what kind of tea you like," Freya said. "Was it Cretan Breakfast or Colonel Grey?"

"Colonel Grey," Riza said. "Usually straight."

Freya gave a smile as she handed over the small bag filled with broken tea leaves and spices. "I don't get how you can drink it straight. No sugar or lemon? Not even milk, since I know I'm not talking to Zidane."

Riza shook her head. "It doesn't taste right to me that way."

"Of course of course."

Freya talked idly about her life in the small row house she lived in and Kain's exploits. "I still can't believe he actually bought those lies Ed gave him about fashion in this world. If it was Zidane, I could buy it, but it was…"

"How can you stand that selfish idiot?" Riza said, interrupting Freya's story.

Freya shrugged. "Kain's anything but selfish. I guess it has to do with his past. He fell to corruption when he…"

Riza interrupted. "I'm sorry Freya, I didn't mean Highwind. I meant that two-timing monkey who you say saved your world."

"Zidane?" Freya asked, surprised. "I don't know why you're so upset with him. He does the best he can."

"He kept us from the truth about the Fuhrer, saying it was completely confidential. After that phrase you kept telling him. What was it?"

"You're not alone," Freya said. "He's pretty thick about it, thinks he can save the world himself if you give him half a reason."

"Yes, after all that, he doesn't tell us that piece of information. He didn't even hint about it in his usual unsubtle manner."

Freya laughed. "There's something about him that changed. He couldn't keep a secret to save his life back in Gaia, even when he felt saddled with saving the world."

Riza glared at her. "How can you take this so lightly? He never told us that the Fuhrer, and the entire military, was using everyone for something sinister. The closest he got was when Mustang told him what Hughes tried saying, was that Hughes was right. He could have warned us just how."

Freya unwrapped her tail from the chair leg and stood up. "You should slap some sense in him about being so quiet. I agree with that. Like I said, he's pretty single-minded once he gets a goal, whether it's to go on a date with a girl, find some rare treasure, or save a world or five. He thinks he's helping by staying quiet. Tell him that it's not, but he wouldn't wish death on you all, no matter what he was made for."

"Made for?" Riza asked as Freya picked her teacup up.

Freya smiled. "Oh you don't know? It's quite the story."

Riza had heard bits of Zidane's story before, when he was in a good mood, and had a drink or two, but most of what Freya told her was something she hadn't heard before. Zidane bragged about his high points, this was something he would never tell.

"Garland even took his soul and tried to destroy it. All so that Zidane would be the Angel of Death he so wished upon Gaia. He was a mess without it. Not so much vengeful as… depressed. We had to constantly remind him that he wasn't alone. We were there for him. Dagger says that we could hardly imagine the light in his eyes when his soul came back."

"No wonder," Riza said. "He's practically a homunculus as well. He was scared that we would try to kill him too."

Freya gave a laugh. "I thought he told you that he had Ed's soul."

"I just thought that there was some sort of reincarnation, one that took a long time, since Ed managed to confirm the dead couldn't be brought back to life, it would have to be long enough for us to forget the soul."

"Perhaps that is also true," Freya said. "There are far too many similarities between you and a friend back home, when it was there."

"Did Zidane ever fight her?"

Freya nodded. "Three times. You are so much like Beatrix, I sometimes forget you aren't her. She would have acted the same way in this situation."

Riza stood up. "Thank you Freya, it's nice to have someone else here. I'll be nicer to Zidane. I think he's given up recently."


End file.
